Her Uncle is
by kat69d
Summary: Harry runs into a Muggle...or he thought she was a Muggle...turns out her uncle is a famous wizard...sequel is currently being written...
1. I'll Kill Them

**Note: I do not own 'Harry Potter' but do own my own characters...if anything doesn't seem to jive with the books, it's not meant to...Hope you enjoy it...**

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Harry needed to get away from the Dursleys or else he would snap. They were worse this summer and it didn't help that his friends weren't writing to him. He needed to talk to someone, anyone, who wasn't going to remind him that he was a freak or ask who Cedric was.

Since that night in the graveyard, he had been having nightmares about Cedric Diggory dying, He could change it by getting Wormtail's attention or jumping in front of the Hufflepuff but in the end, he always died. He even dreaming that Cedric didn't touch the Triwizard Cup but he always ended up at the graveyard dying.

Harry had snuck out after dinner. He knew the doors would be locked after nine but tonight he didn't care. He was going out and going to try to relax. He summoned the Knight Bus to take him into London where he treated himself to a better dinner than he's ever had and actually had dessert. He didn't have much money left but he was content. It had been the best night of his summer but then it took a 180.

Harry had been walking down a street when someone collided into his back.

"I'm sorry but I'm just trying to get rid of them," a young feminine voice said.

He turned to see a girl, maybe only a couple years older than him. Her black hair was windswept but she kept turning to look over her shoulder. Harry pushed his hair out of his eyes and followed her ice blue eyes to where she was staring. A block down, several men in black robes and masks stood. Death Eaters.

"Shit."

"You can say that again. I'll just get out of here."

Harry glanced over her shoulder again. They were only standing there. One moved and he caught sight of white blond hair. It could only be Lucius Malfoy. She started to leave but if these Death Eaters were after her, he didn't want to leave her alone. A taxi was coming up the street so Harry waved for it and pushed her into the backseat. He got in after her and told the driver to go.

"Where to?" he asked.

"My flat is up two blocks on the right," she said.

The taxi took them to her flat where Harry used the last of his Muggle money. He had some Galleons and Sickles but knew they wouldn't be taken anywhere in the Muggle world. He escorted her to her door and waited as she unlocked it.

"Thanks. You're what…15…but you still helped me. Thank you again."

"Not many people guess my age right. They think I'm a lot younger."

"You look young but your eyes betray you. You've gone through a lot in your short life."

Harry said goodbye and turned to leave. He rushed back to her flat when he heard her scream. He pulled his wand but hid it when he saw her kneeling in front of a painting.

"I'll kill them. Whoever did this, I'll kill them. This was the only thing I had of my dad and they destroyed it," she sobbed.

Her hands pushed the torn canvas together to stare into the face of her father. Harry's throat tightened as he stared too. He had seen a face very similar to her father, just only a few months ago.

"Um…maybe we should call the police."

"Like they believed me the last time I called? They laughed when I told them that I was being followed by people in black dresses and masks. They said it's probably a prank and to forget about it."

"We shouldn't stay here. They might come back," Harry said, hoping they didn't because he couldn't fight against a handful of Death Eaters.

She looked up at Harry and caught sight of something glowing on her wall. She got up and approached it. Harry followed her gaze and literally gasped.

_You'll be next, blood traitor. You'll die just like your so called grandmother and your parents._

She reached out and touched the glowing letters. They looked like the lettering that Lord Voldemort used in the Chamber of Secrets in Harry's 2nd year.

"I knew it wasn't an accident. I will kill them," she screamed.

She glowed the same color as her eyes before a burst of energy exploded from her, knocking her into another wall and Harry to the floor. Her limp body rested on floor in a heap. Harry went over to her and tried to shake her awake.

Two popping sounds of apparition were heard. Two people dressed in dark robes entered with their wands drawn. The woman had bright pink hair and the man was a tall black man. It wasn't until Harry looked up at them did they stop.

"She won't wake up. Death Eaters were following her and must have broken in. They said they are coming for her, like they did with her relatives."

"Wotcher, Harry. What are you doing here?" Nymphadora Tonks, the female Auror, asked.

"You can help her. She glowed and then exploded with magic. Wake her up."

"Tonks, go to Albus, get the address, and tell Poppy to meet us there," Kingsley Shacklebolt said.

"Why, Kingsley?"

The man had repaired the portrait of the girl's father. Tonks took one look and disapparated. Kingsley collected a few things for the girl and waited for Tonks to get back. When she got back, she took the bag of things and Harry's arms. Kingsley picked up the girl and disapparated.

"Hold onto me and don't fidget."

Apparating felt like a portkey but tighter. He shut his eyes as they traveled. When they arrived, he opened them to see a little park surrounded by rowhouses. Tonks gave him a slip of paper.

"Read it, memorize it, and destroy it."

Harry opened the slip to see '_The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is located at Number 12 Grimmauld Place_'. He did as he was told and looked to Tonks for the meaning. Right in front of him, a new rowhouse appeared. Kingsley and the girl were already going in so Harry ran to catch up. He wanted to know who she was and why Death Eaters would be after her.

"Bring her in here, Kingsley," Madam Pomfrey said.

Harry followed and watched as the medi-witch did various scans. He didn't even feel the person who now stood behind him. He did feel the hand on his shoulder though.

"Hello, Harry."

"Sirius! Is this where you've been hiding?"

"It is my home, Harry. I gave it to Dumbledore to use for the Order. I heard we were expecting guests. Who's that?"

"Don't know. I thought she was another Muggle. Death Eaters have been stalking her and then tonight she let out a burst of energy and collapsed."

"Sirius, you may want to see this," Tonks said, enlarging the painting.

Sirius left Harry and stepped over to his cousin. She showed him the painting and he went pale.

"It looks exactly like him. You can't be serious though. He was only 18."

"Do you know who that is? When I saw it, I thought I was looking at you," Harry said.

"Harry, did she say anything about this portrait?"

"She was hysterical when she saw it torn. Said it was the only thing she had of her father and that she was going to kill whoever destroyed it."

Madam Pomfrey came over to the group. Her face held no answer to what was going on.

"She's simply unconscious. When she wakes, we'll be able to ask her questions. All I can tell is that her magic had been bound and when she got extremely upset, it was freed. I'll levitate her upstairs to an extra room and leave. Owl or Floo me when she wakes."

Madam Pomfrey and the girl left the room. Harry turned to his godfather and asked about the man in the painting.


	2. Pyxis is My Name

**Note: I do not own 'Harry Potter' but do own my own characters...if anything doesn't seem to jive with the books, it's not meant to...Hope you enjoy it...**

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"That was my brother, Regulus. He was a Death Eater."

With that, Sirius left. Harry found his way upstairs and caught sight of Madam Pomfrey leaving a room. He asked if he could sit with the girl. She told him it would be fine but to get some rest.

Screams woke the entire house. Harry jumped out of the chair he had been sitting in and went to the bed. The girl caught sight of him and went silent.

"Where am I?"

"You passed out so I brought you to a safe place. Those men won't find you here."

The door banged open and a small army of wizards and witches ran into the room with their wands drawn. Harry stepped in front of the girl and the wands were lowered. Her hands clenched the bedcovers as she stared at the newcomers.

"Harry, when did you get here?" Ron Weasley, one of his best friends, asked.

"Late. Someone needs to contact Madam Pomfrey and tell her she's awake," he answered, before turning back to the girl. "I'm Harry and these are my friends."

"I'm Pyx. It's short of Pyxis. Mum told me it was because my dad's family had a constellation fixation and she wanted something unique."

"What do you know about your father?" Sirius asked, hidden in the back of the group.

"Mum told me his name was Reg and he died shortly before I was born. The message said he was killed."

"Why did the message say so called grandmother?" Harry asked.

"She's not my biological grandmother. Gran-mum took Mum in when she was pregnant. She had me when she was 16 and needed help. That's all I know. Mum and Gran-mum didn't like to talk about the past."

Madam Pomfrey came and pushed everyone out. Since Pyx hadn't been told about magic yet, she was examined physically. Besides being hungry and a bit wiped out, she was fine. Madam Pomfrey left her to change. Albus Dumbledore was waiting in the hallway.

"How is she?" he asked.

"Relatively normal. I can sense the magic that surrounds her. Albus, will you be the one to tell her or is Sirius?"

"Being that he is her uncle, he has the right. If he's not up for it, then I will step in. Please bring her down to the kitchen. Sirius has ordered Kreacher to stay away and Molly's been cooking."

Dumbledore headed downstairs. Everyone was changed and eager to meet Pyx again. She came down a few minutes later with the medi-witch. Harry went up to her and took her hand to pull her into the kitchen.

"I'll go around the table and introduce you. That's Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, Remus, Tonks, George, Fred, Professor Dumbledore, and you know Madam Pomfrey. Where's Sirius?" he said.

"I'm right here, Harry."

Pyx and Harry turned to another doorway and caught sight of the Marauder. She dropped Harry's hand and stepped forward but stopped after a few steps. Her eyes were looking over Sirius.

"Let me introduce myself. I'm Sirius Black. Regulus…Reg was my brother."

"Mum never mentioned that he had family. I don't know if she had any family. It must be a small world that the boy I ran into knows my uncle," she replied, straightening out her hair and her shirt.

"I kinda recognized the portrait," Harry offered.

"Please sit down, Ms…" Dumbledore said.

"Malloy."

"That sounds a lot like Malfoy," Ron stammered.

Mrs. Weasley tisked him as she brought breakfast over to the table. Pyx dug in and helped herself to a cup of coffee. They watched as she dumped nearly half of the sugar bowl into the cup.

"You never want to see me without my first cup of coffee," she joked. "So do you all live here?"

"No. This is my house and my friends tend to visit during the summer. Harry is my godson and will hopefully be spending the rest of the vacation with me. So tell us about yourself. You must be 16."

"Yeah. Not much to tell. Grew up with Mum and Gran-mum. They died six months ago in what I thought was a carbon dioxide thing but the message said they were killed. How could they be killed without some kind of evidence? The police said it was like their hearts just stopped."

"Is there anything special about you?"

"Nope except for my super ability to remember things. My earliest memory was from when I was like one. I threw my teddy bear across the room without touching it. Mum saw and was sad. It never happened again."

"Everyone in this room can do magic. What you did to your toy was magic. It was then bound until last night," Sirius said bluntly.

"Don't just spring it on her like that," Mrs. Weasley chided.

"Magic as in fairytales or magic like pull a rabbit out of a hat?"

"Fairytales. Some are born with the ability. We go to school to learn how to focus it and learn spells," Hermione said.

"Was it a spell that killed my family?"

"Yes," Sirius replied.

"Teach it to me so I can kill the bastards responsible," Pyx seethed.

"Using that curse is no joking matter, Ms. Malloy," Dumbledore said.

"I'm not joking. I will kill the person responsible for the death of my parents and my grandmother. I'll do it with magic or without but it will happen," she promised.

The air began crackling with magic. Harry looked at the girl beside him and saw a faint glow to her.

"Pyx, calm down. You're not controlling your magic and it can hurt us," he said.

She calmed and the silverware stopped rattling. She shrugged her shoulders.

"I guess I need to learn. Anybody have a 'How To Use Magic' book I can read?" she joked.

"She's just like Hermione," Ron said.

Hermione smacked his arm and took Pyx upstairs. The other teens followed while the adults had a talk.

"What have you been doing, living on your own? The courts didn't put you in an orphanage or anything?"

"I paid my neighbor to pose as my dad. If the social worker stopped by when he wasn't there, I said he was out. It was quite easy. Doesn't really matter though. Those men know where I live and I can't go back there. Although all my stuff is there."

"We brought some stuff last night. I have to get my stuff and I'm sure we can go back to get the rest of your stuff afterwards," Harry said.

"You're taking this in like it's a daily occurrence. When I found out, I was ecstatic. I spent the next week reading the book Professor McGonagall brought me," Hermione said, digging out her copy of _Hogwarts: A History_.

"Deep down I always believed there was something else out there. I can remember trying to convince my class that there were unicorns and pixies when I was 12. Magic just seems to explain it all. Magic is what destroyed my family and it'll be magic who kills them."

"You almost sound like a Death Eater."

"Ronald. He didn't mean that, Pyx. Those men who've been watching you were Death Eaters. There's a war going on in our world. There are 3 types of wizards and witches: purebloods, who only have magical ancestors; half bloods, who has one magical and one Muggle parent; and Muggleborns, who don't have any magical relatives. The Weasleys and Sirius are purebloods. Harry is a half blood and I'm a Muggleborn," Hermione explained.

"Death Eaters tend to be purebloods who believe that no one but themselves are worthy of doing magic. They despise Muggleborns and wish to use Muggles as slaves."

"What exactly are Muggles?" Pyx asked.

"Non magical people. I thought you were a Muggle at first. Death Eaters like to torment them," Harry explained.

"Why did they call me a blood traitor?"

"That's what they call purebloods who don't believe in their ideology. Even though we're purebloods, we believe that everyone deserves a chance to do magic," Ginny said.

"So for me to be a blood traitor, I have to be a pureblood, which means both my parents were purebloods. You say Sirius is a pureblood so that means Dad was too. But Mum couldn't have been. I would have remembered her doing magic."

"Not unless she was hiding," a twin said.

"Your dad was a Death Eater. Maybe after he died, she got scared and ran to the Muggle world. Did you ever see something weird, like a wand or a set of robes?"

"I found a white stick with a handle but Mum caught me before I could touch it. She told me it was dangerous and then she hid it."

"That would have been her wand."

"Why do you think they came after her after all these years? It's not like any Death Eaters live or work in the Muggle world," Ginny said.

"Mum was spooked by something. A week before she died, we had been shopping and halfway through, she got pale and demanded that we go home. I looked and a man was staring at us. His hair was so blond, it was almost white."

"That's Lucius Malfoy. He's a nasty wizard. He might have recognized your mum," Fred said.

"He couldn't have. She dyed her hair black. I saw her once with her natural color and she looked completely different."

There was a knock on the door. It was Mrs. Weasley, coming to tell Pyx and Harry that they were going to collect their things. The others had to stay there. Tonks, Kingsley, and Remus were going to accompany them. Harry asked about how they were going to travel.

"Side along apparating. It'll be quicker. We'll go to Harry's first and then to Pyx's."

Harry grabbed onto Remus' arm and Pyx took Tonks's. She didn't know what they were talking about but hoped that they knew what they were doing. An instant later, they were standing in the backyard of a little house. Pyx hated the squeezing feeling she just had. She dropped contact with Tonks and fell to her knees.

"You OK?"

"Don't ever do that again," she pleaded.

Harry led them into the house, glad that no one was home. His relatives hadn't even checked to see if he was there; they had just locked his bedroom door from the outside out of habit. Tonks unlocked it and Harry threw his stuff into his trunk. Pyx went over to the owl and petted her through the bars. It nipped at her finger lightly and hooted.

"That's Hedwig. You can let her out. She'll be able to find us."

When he was done, the 5 of them headed downstairs, only to run into his relatives.

"Boy, what do you think you're doing?" Vernon Dursley said.

"I'm going to spend the rest of the summer with my godfather. You know that escaped murderer I told you about. He didn't like knowing that you lock me in my room, Uncle Vernon."

"But that's what you do with freaks," the other boy said.

Pyx smirked and punched Dudley in the nose. Blood started to gush from his broken nose. She stood over him, his hand covered in his blood and his mother at his side.

"We're not freaks."

"Let's go," Remus said.

Even though she was going to be squeezed again, Pyx was glad to leave. Harry's relatives weren't the best people to be around. A second later, she was standing in her flat. The shimmery writing was still on the wall. She walked past it into her room.

"How am I going to pack all this? Gran-mum owned the flat so it's technically mine but I don't want to come back here."

"We'll shrink it and take it back to Grimmauld."

"Ah, sure. There's a couple of things I need from the other rooms."

Pyx went around collecting things she wanted to keep. Her grandmother had this soft blanket that she loved and she wanted the photo albums. She had already gotten rid of their clothes after they had died. Anything else was unimportant so it was left.

The adults had her things shrunk and stored in a small box. Remus had gotten rid of the writing and it looked like everything was OK, almost back to normal. Pyx went over to the desk and grabbed a folder. As she tried to push the drawer back in, something fell. It rolled and stopped near Harry's feet.

He picked it up and handed it back. It was her mother's wand. The white wood made her hand tingle. She turned it around and took a hold of the handle. The tip started to glow ice blue.

"The same color of my eyes."

"The same color that you glowed last night before passing out," Harry pointed out.

Pyx stuck the wand into her pocket and said that she was almost finished. She left the flat and went next door. Harry went with her while the others watched. Pyx knocked on the door and waited. A man with short black hair answered. He saw Pyx and pulled her in for a hug.

"You alright? I tried coming over last night but you weren't home."

"I worked late and then I ran into someone. Danny, this is Harry, my cousin. Turns out Dad had a brother. He's asked me to stay with them for awhile."

"Are you sure it's alright? I thought I heard noises coming from your flat yesterday."

"I'll be fine, Danny. Keep an eye on the place. If I'm going to stay long term, I'll let you know. And since you're my boss, consider this my resignation."

Pyx hugged the man and turned to leave. Danny caught Harry's arm and held him back for a second.

"Keep an eye on her. She hasn't been the same since Adele and Lucy died."

"I will. She's family."

They were waiting for him on the stoop. They went around to the side of the building where they apparated to the park across the street from Grimmauld Place. Remus gave Pyx a slip of paper and she memorized the address. The building shifted and they entered the house. They were bombarded by someone yelling.

"Blood traitors in my home. Disgrace to the family. I only had one proper son."

"That's Mrs. Black. Don't mind her," Harry said as Sirius went to shut the curtains over her portrait.

"Do all portraits speak as if they're alive?"

"They have to be charmed to but it's possible."

"If only Dad's portrait wasn't destroyed."

Pyx took the box that Tonks held and went upstairs. Harry looked at Remus and followed her up. She was sitting on the bed, looking at the wand. Harry sat beside her.

"I didn't know I was a wizard until my 11th birthday. My aunt and uncle told me that my parents were killed in a car crash. The man behind the war was the one to kill them. Since finding out, my life's never been boring. I've made great friends and met enemies. I met the man who's responsible for giving up my parents. I've seen a friend die. I know what it's like to have your life turned upside down."

"Are all wands the same?" she asked.

Harry pulled his out and showed her.

"No. There's different types of woods and different things that are used for its core. My wand is made out of holly and a phoenix feather. I tried a bunch of wands before this one chose me. I think the way your mum's wand glowed, it chose you."

"But I don't know any magic. You're years ahead of me. I'll never get caught up. Why even bother? Those Death guys killed one of their own and took out my mum who knew magic. I don't stand a chance."

"No daughter of mine would ever talk like that," a voice said from the doorway.


	3. Mum's Brother

**Note: I do not own 'Harry Potter' but do own my own characters...if anything doesn't seem to jive with the books, it's not meant to...Hope you enjoy it...**

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Pyx and Harry looked up. Remus was holding onto a moving portrait. Sirius was standing behind the werewolf.

"But I thought it was destroyed."

"Magic can do wonderful things. Like bring me here after all these years. By the surroundings, I see that you're in my parents' home. Is Lucy here?"

Pyx started to cry. Remus put the painting down on a chair close to the bed. Harry wrapped an arm around her to comfort her.

"Her mum died, sir, about 6 months ago."

"So she's been living with my parents. Good. I'd rather her here than with her uncle."

"But she is here with her uncle, dear brother. Our parents have died and the Black estate is mine. I was against animating your portrait but Remus thought it would be great for Pyx," Sirius said, coming into view of the painting.

"I knew you'd be mad at me, Sirius."

"Damn right. You became a Death Eater. It was your comrades who killed Pyx's mother and friend. The war is still going on and now they're after her. Even living in the Muggle world didn't hide her away for long."

Regulus laughed and was soon on the bottom of the painting shaking with laughter. Everyone, even Pyx, was watching him.

"Lucy in the Muggle world? That's just hilarious, Sirius. Her family, especially her brother, never would have allowed it."

"But, Dad, it's true. It wasn't until last night that I found out about magic. Uncle Sirius said that Mum bound my magic."

Regulus stopped laughing and stood to his full height. His dark eyes scanned everyone in the room, not seeing the handful of Weasleys and Hermione in the doorway.

"What did that bastard do after I died?"

"Which bastard are you talking about? Voldemort or Lucy's brother?"

"Either. One tells the other to jump and he asks how high. I had second thoughts but it was after that last task that I realized how wrong I had been. The Dark Lord had found away to make himself immortal."

"Enough. Harry, take Pyx and the others out of here," Remus said.

"But I have a right to know. He's coming after me."

"Like hell I'm leaving. You all can talk about the Dark Lord whoever when I'm done talking to my father. You said Mum had a brother."

"Ah, yes. It was through him that I met Lucy. He was a couple years ahead of Sirius at Hogwarts. Lucy went to Beauxbatons so you've never met her but I'm sure you remember Lucius Malfoy. That's the uncle I was referring to."

Pyx looked around the room when it got quiet and still. Everyone was looking at her. She tried to catch Harry's eye but he looked away. He even dropped his arm from around her shoulders.

"I take it that he's the devil in disguise."

"Not much of a disguise if you ask me," Ron said.

"His son is the wholly terror at school. He walks around like he owns the place."

"Son? Who did he marry?"

"Narcissa."

"Cousin Cissy? They did seem close at the gatherings," Regulus said.

"Wait. So your cousin married my uncle and you and Mum got together. Is this like a Black-Malfoy thing?"

"No, Pyx. What kind of name is Pyx?" her father asked.

"It's Pyxis and what kind of name is Regulus? Now answer the question."

"To be pureblood, you need two pureblood families and since the number is dwindling, there's a lot of interfamily marriages."

"Any other surprises that I should know about? There isn't another uncle, aunt, or devil cousin I should know about."

"Just distant ones. You don't have to worry though. You'll stay here where Voldemort and his Death Eaters can't find you."

"Pyx, let's give them time to talk. I'll show you my school books and maybe try a few simple spells that won't be detected," Hermione said.

Pyx looked at the wand in her hand and turned it around. Regulus saw and stepped closer in his frame.

"That was Lucy's wand. Only 7 inches but very powerful."

"Pyx was wondering what it's made of. Do you know?" Harry asked, looking up for the first time since the news about Lucius.

"It is ash with a dragonheart string."

She nodded and grabbed onto it tighter. She looked at Regulus and smiled. There were tons of questions she wanted to ask but they would have to wait for when they were alone.

"Alright. You talk and I'll learn magic so I can at least protect myself. Maybe even take down a few of those Death guys," she retorted.

Pyx and the other teens headed to Hermione and Ginny's room while Sirius grabbed the painting to take downstairs. They needed to know all about Voldemort's attempts to become immortal.

"Hermione, are you sure that you can teach me these spells?"

"I won't be teaching you. If I use magic outside of school, I could be expelled. No, the twins will teach you. We'll just be here to offer support and advice."

"The brightest witch of our age is letting little old Forge and Gred teach a newbie? I am down right shocked," Fred said.

"I guess this doesn't happen a lot."

"No. Hermione is like our professor. She reads our essays and helps us with our spells. She's great," Ron gushed.

Hermione blushed and pulled out some old books from her trunk. From the bottom of the stack, she pulled out one of her Defense Against the Dark Arts book. Flipping open to one of the spells, she handed it to Pyx.

"We'll start on the disarming spell. It's quite simple. You flick the wrist while saying the incantation. George, get ready. Say it after me. _Expelliarmus!_"

"_Expelliarmus!_"

"Good. Now face George and do the wrist flick."

"Wait, Hermione. Won't Pyx get into trouble for doing magic?"

"No, Harry. The home is hidden under a Fidelius Charm so any magic done here is hidden. You need not worry about the Ministry. I was hoping all of you would help her."

"Hello, Professor Dumbledore. I assume Sirius called you about the painting."

"He did but I thought I would speak to you first. How would you like to join your friends at Hogwarts once the term begins?"

"Won't I look weird with a bunch of first years?"

"No. That is why I would like the others to help you catch up. Focus on the more important spells first and if there is time, then the other spells."

"What about Malfoy? He'll tell his father and then You Know Who will know where she is," Ron said.

"Harry, do you remember what Hagrid told you in your first year?"

"That no place is safer than Hogwarts except for Gringotts."

"Yes. I'd like to go to Hogwarts," Pyx said.

Dumbledore nodded his head and turned to leave. Pyx reached out and grabbed his arm.

"I would prefer it if my last name wasn't listed as Malloy. That's not who I am anymore. In remembrance to my parents, I'd like to be known as Malfoy-Black."

"Why not just Black?" George asked.

"That would be denying half of who I am. Malfoy may be a bastard but my mother was a Malfoy and I can't pretend not to be her daughter."

"That can be arranged. I will talk to Sirius and have the necessary documents ready for next time I come. Good night."

Dumbledore left and Pyx turned back to her friends. She flicked her wrist like she was shown and said the incantation. It caught George off guard and he flew back into the wall. They moved on to another spell. Pyx worked on the different spells until Mrs. Weasley called them down for dinner.

Pyx was grateful. Since her mother died, she didn't eat a lot or when she did it would be from work and you can only eat the same stuff so much before getting tired of it. With Hermione and Ginny's help, she washed the dishes and put them away so that Mrs. Weasley wouldn't have to.

The others wanted to take a break but there was a lot to learn so Pyx read the Charms book while Ron played Harry at wizard's chess, Hermione worked on her homework, Ginny read _Witches Weekly_, and the twins went off to do whatever they did in private. She got through the book that night, knowing the theory behind it but not the actual hands on approach. Pyx only had a month and a half to learn 4 years of magic.

That time flew by. Sirius agreed to let Pyx go to Hogwarts but was put out by her choice of last name. He explained what happened to him and why the name Black was not once what it had been. He also explained about the Malfoys. Pyx's response had been that she'd tell anyone with a problem to sod off. To this, Sirius smiled.


	4. Thanatos

**Note: I do not own 'Harry Potter' but do own my own characters...if anything doesn't seem to jive with the books, it's not meant to...Hope you enjoy it...**

* * *

Pyx was coming along with her magic and even used it to charm the candles on Harry's birthday cake. Much to everyone's displeasure, Severus Snape had been visiting Grimmauld Place to teach Potions to Pyx. She was able to master the 1st and 2nd year potions but the others were getting tough. Snape ordered her to practice and if she wasn't able to keep up, she would need extra tutorial time.

Their trip to Diagon Alley was like a 5 year old in a candy store. Pyx could barely keep her curiosity in check. She kept wandering off to look at the different things. Since she already had a wand, she only needed robes, her books, and an animal. They stopped first for the robes and bought a couple of them. She was still used to her Muggle clothes so she didn't wear them out of the store. Pyx was already getting looks for being herself (bold but excited and bordering on hyper) and for being with Harry Potter.

Their second stop was at Flourish and Blotts to pick up everyone's books. Even though she was older, Pyx was registered as a 5th year so she could remain with her friends. And she was going to need all the help she could get since they had OWLs that year. She even bought all the previous years' books to study from so Hermione could have hers back.

"So, we'll get Pyx an animal and then we need to go back. I'll cook us lunch there," Mrs. Weasley said.

"What's down there?" Pyx asked, pointing down the entrance of Knockturn Alley.

"No place a respectable witch or wizard would be. Now come on, dear. Let's find you an animal."

Pyx was steered away from Knockturn Alley and into Magical Menagerie. She looked around while Harry picked up more treats for Hedwig and Hermione got a new toy for Crookshanks.

Fred began to bug Ron about Crookshanks but Pyx wasn't paying attention. She was trying to find an animal that she wanted. She had joked that morning saying she wanted Sirius in his Animagus form as her animal but that idea was quickly squished by Mrs. Weasley.

Near the back of the store, Pyx found a cage covered. A piece of parchment stated clearly not to lift the drape. She turned to the wizard behind the counter and inquired about what was underneath.

"It doesn't keep quiet unless its cage is covered. A falcon isn't normally tamed for wizard use but a few years ago, a wizard was able to but only once. When he died last year, he had bequeathed the bird to us, saying that it would find its new owner eventually."

Pyx thought it would be perfect. A unique bird for a unique girl.

"I'd like to see it."

"Are you sure that you don't want to go for an owl?"

"If it doesn't pick me, I'll take two owls. Is that good enough incentive to lift the bloody drape?" she retorted.

The wizard went to the back with the group of teens. He grasped the edge of the drape and pulled it off. The falcon started to make noise but Pyx stepped forward. She stared into its eyes and the noise got quieter. Against warning, she held out her hand to the bird and slipped it in through the slit in the cage. It rubbed its head against her hand and stopped making noise.

"Well, I'll be. He's never done that before."

"I'll take him. Does he have a name?"

"No. The wizard just called him 'it' so I guess you have the honor to name him."

He went to the front to get the papers that were left with the bird and Pyx reached for the latch.

"If I let you out, will you promise to stay here with me?" she asked the falcon.

The bird cawed so Pyx released the latch and held out her arm. He climbed on and she proceeded to the front. She dug out the coin purse that Sirius had given her, hearing the jingle of the money inside.

"Here's the information that was left. Didn't you want the cage?"

"No. Even if he's been tamed, a bird like him shouldn't be locked up. How much?"

"One hundred Galleons."

Pyx heard the objections of her friends so she looked at the wizard. She shook her head.

"That sounds a bit steep especially for a bird that has been a pain in your arse for a year and hasn't selected anyone else as its new owner. Ron, how much is that owl over there?"

"Ten Galleons."

"OK. Either you accept my offer of 19 Galleons or you're stuck with a pissed off falcon."

The clerk finally agreed and Pyx paid. Mrs. Weasley was shocked to see a large black bird on her arm. They headed towards the Leaky Cauldron so they could Floo to the Burrow before Flooing to Grimmauld Place. Pyx stroked the bird and ignored the stares.

"If I let you fly, will you be able to find your way to me?"

The falcon cawed again so she lifted her arm. It flew off and she followed the others into the tavern. Pyx was the third through and was able to look around the Burrow a bit. She was fascinated with the charmed clock on the wall.

"Ron, are these your other brothers?" she asked.

"Yeah. Bill works at Gringotts, Charlie's in Romania working with dragons, and Percy's left the family to work for Fudge."

"Sore spot, eh? At least you have siblings. I would kill to have siblings. I can remember Mum going o a total of 3 dates my whole life."

When they arrived back at Grimmauld Place, Sirius and Remus were waiting. Her uncle didn't seem pleased.

"Care to explain why a falcon flew in through the window and straight up to your room?"

"Because he's mine. You told me to get an animal and I did. So sue me if he's different. I'm going to go pack my stuff into Dad's old trunk."

Everyone left Pyx alone for a bit. She unpacked the trunk and looked through the thing Regulus had left in there. She came across some photos and asked her father to explain the stories behind them.

"Have you named him yet?" Harry asked, standing in the doorway.

"I want something unique like him. He's all black with some gray flecks but anything to do with his coloring isn't special. I had a fish once that I named Cat but nothing weird goes. I've always been into Ancient Greece so maybe something from that."

Harry waited while Pyx thought of a name. He didn't understand how she was acting so calmly after everything that happened to her. His eyes wandered from his friend to the dark bird sitting on the back of a chair.

"Thanatos. He's the God of Death. What else would be perfect for a bird like that?"

The falcon screeched and seemed to nod its head.

"I guess you have a name for him. Mrs. Weasley sent me up here to tell you lunch was ready."

"Thanks but no thanks. I'm not hungry."

"I was nervous too my first time going to Hogwarts and now I see it as home. You won't be alone. We'll be there."

"Dad was in Slytherin and Mum was in a house similar to Slytherin at Beauxbatons. What'll happen if I'm sorted there? Surely a snake and a lion have never been friends before. Dad told me about how he and Uncle Sirius were distant and they're brothers. What's going to keep us together?"

"We'll deal with the sorting when it happens. After lunch, we were going to go through Transfiguration. Are you still up for that?"

"Yeah, I just need to think some things over."

Harry left and Pyx closed her door. She went over to Thanatos and ran her fingers over his feathers. She wasn't normally worried or afraid of anything but possibly being separated from her only friends did that. Her parents were brave for standing up against others so she would have to be too.

"I need to send a letter. Do you think you can take it for me?"

Thanatos screeched so Pyx wrote the letter. All she wrote was 'If it wasn't for you, your sister would still be alive. I hold you responsible.'

"Take this to Lucius Malfoy and go straight to Hogwarts. No rush though."

Pyx opened the window and Thanatos flew out. She watched as her animal got smaller in the sky before she heard someone talk to her.

"What are you doing?" Regulus asked.

"Being who people expect me to be. I'm not going to let anything scare me anymore. You weren't afraid to die and Mum left the only world she knew to protect me. As soon as my name is called, there's going to be talk and if I show no emotion to it, they'll stop."

She left the room and waited for her friends to finish with lunch. They practiced Transfiguration for the evening before the girls helped Ron and Harry pack. The twins apparated to their room and did their own packing. They had a bunch of new tricks and didn't want anyone to see them before they were ready to use.


	5. The Sorting Hat's on Fire

**Note: I do not own 'Harry Potter' but do own my own characters...if anything doesn't seem to jive with the books, it's not meant to...Hope you enjoy it...**

* * *

In the morning, with several chaperons and two Aurors they were escorted to Kings Crossing. Sirius went with them in his Animagus form. He walked between Harry and Pyx, his eyes scanning the crowd for any trouble. They went through the barrier and Pyx looked at the long red train. She heard a screech and saw Thanatos flying above her. She held out her arm and he landed.

"You didn't have to come here."

The falcon nipped at her finger, drawing blood. Pyx sucked on the bite till it stopped bleeding and petted the bird again before it flew off. She said goodbye to everyone and headed to follow Hermione onto the train. Blond hair caught her attention instead. Pyx stopped to watch 2 blond people, one man and one female, say goodbye to a younger blond man. She didn't get a chance to see his face when Lucius caught her looking. She smirked and gave him the finger.

In the compartment, she took a seat near the door and took out her Herbology book. She hadn't had much time to read about the subject so she thought she'd do it now. A tall, slightly pudgy boy joined them. He didn't notice Pyx at first so he said hello to the others before sitting down.

"Neville, this is Pyx. Pyx, this is Neville."

"H…hi," Neville stuttered, looking at the new girl.

She brushed her hair away from her face and smiled at him. He caught sight of the book and started to talk to her about his favorite subject. He was telling her all about the special properties about the plant he had in his arms when the door opened and 3 shadows fell over the compartment.

"Potter. Weasel. Mudblood. Longbottom. And who is this beautiful creature? Did she get lost and you didn't bother helping her find her way to someone more of her own stature?"

Pyx looked over at Harry and gave him a smirk. He saw and shook his head. Pyx turned her attention back to the blond.

"You'll learn my name eventually and I doubt your father told you but I'm Pyxis Malfoy-Black. My mother's your aunt."

"Aunt Bella?" he questioned.

Neville sat straight up, listening more closely to the conversation between Pyx and Draco.

"No. Your father's sister Lucy. The Black is from my father Regulus. So we're cousins, Draco Malfoy," she said, looking him over. "Not like I could do anything so we weren't related. Who would want to be related to you anyways?"

Draco looked at the girl and saw the ice blue eyes that were Malfoy trademarks. If she had the blond hair, she could have passed as his sister.

"Close your mouth, Malfoy. It's not becoming of a pureblood," Pyx said.

"Father does not have a sister."

Pyx pulled out a picture of her mother and grandmother. She had managed to take it the one time her other hadn't dyed her hair black. She got up and stood close to Draco as she handed the picture to him. He looked at the photo and there was no mistaking her. She was indeed a Malfoy although her hair wasn't as pale as his or his father's.

"Not anymore. Why don't you go write a letter to your father asking how and why his sister died? Feel free to find me when he refuses to tell you. Until then, leave."

Pyx pulled the picture out of his hand and pushed Draco and the other 2 boys out of their compartment. She stared at him before lowering the shade over the window.

"That went pretty well. Do you think he'll spread it around that I'm here?" she asked, sitting back in her seat.

"Nah. He's probably thinking about what you said."

"So, Neville, tell me more about this plant."

They spent the rest of the trip talking. When they changed into their robes, Pyx felt out of place without a House patch on. Rather than going with the 1st years on the boats, she followed her friends to the carriages. Harry stopped short and Pyx ran right into him. She looked at her friend before looking past him. Pulling the carriages were black skeletal winged horses.

"Harry, what are those?"

"I don't know."

"Thestrals," a sing song voice called from the carriage.

Harry went to talk to the girl while Pyx approached the creatures. She reached out and petted it. After a second, it snorted so she got on.

"Harry, I'm telling you. There's nothing pulling the carriages," Hermione said.

"I see them," Pyx said.

"Me too," Neville agreed.

Everyone got on the carriage and it took them up to the castle. Pyx was amazed at the sight. Every window seemed to be lit up.

"It's brilliant. What does it look like inside?"

"Like a castle. Don't let the ghosts scare you. Be aware of the moving stairs and you won't get lost."

Pyx followed the others up through the courtyard and through the giant doors. Their group was stopped by Snape.

"Ms. Malfoy-Black, Professor Dumbledore would like you to go in with the 1st years."

"Great. I'll stick out like a sore thumb."

"You already do," Harry joked.

Pyx left her friends and followed Snape to where she was to wait for the 1st years. He stayed with her rather than entering the Great Hall.

"Professor, in your opinion, will I be ridiculed for who my parents are?"

"It is always a possibility, Ms. Malfoy-Black. Muggleborns are ridiculed, half-bloods are ridiculed, but it seems purebloods are not."

"But, sir, I don't believe in their pureblood ideology. Wouldn't that set me apart? A blood traitor is what they wrote on the wall."

"You may have some opposition but remember who your parents are and what they did for you," he parted before leaving.

Minvera McGonagall approached with the 1st years. The two had briefly met before an Order meeting but didn't talk. The older witch seemed to stare intently at the girl before her, almost looking her over to see if anything was out of place.

"There you are. Wait here and I'll be back."

Pyx looked at the little students while they looked up at her.

"You're too big to be a 1st year."

"Duh. I'm 5th year but I'm new so I have to go through this with you."

McGonagall came back with a rolled up piece of parchment, clutched in her hands. She led everyone into the Great Hall. Pyx stayed near the back and didn't let the sight amaze her, like the rest. She just wanted to be out of everyone's sight, sitting with her friends.

"Stay. When I call your name, you will come forward and sit. Then you'll be sorted into your Houses."

The girl looked over to her friends and then over at her cousin. He was looking at her so she smirked and turned her attention back to the front. She wasn't paying much attention to where the 1st years were being sorted. She didn't even notice her own name being called.

"Pyxis Malfoy-Black."

People started to murmur as she made her way to the front. Just before she sat down on the stool, a student yelled out.

"A family of Death Eaters. Each and every one of them."

Pyx clenched her fists tight. A faint ice blue glow surrounded her just before a burst of energy left her.

"You have no bloody idea what you're talking about. I am no more a Death Eater than Harry Potter is. They killed my parents. So you all can bloody well sod off," she screamed.

Pyx grabbed the Sorting Hat and stuck it on her head.

"_A Malfoy and a Black. Quite a combination. Your father was in Slytherin. I see drive and ambition in you and those are traits of a Slytherin."_

"If you put me in Slytherin, I'll hunt you down and roast you alive. My father and mother were good people. They may have been misguided in their youth but they both died honorably," she said.

"_But you have so many Slytherin qualities and would do best there_," the Hat told her.

Her eyes started to glow again and a second later, the brim of the Sorting Hat started to smoke.

"I warned you. Now should I keep going until you're aflame or would you like to put me somewhere else?"

"_Alas, Slytherin would have done great things with you there. Maybe surrounded by friends will help you control that temper of yours. _GRYFFINDOR!"

The Hat literally jumped off her head and she made her way to the loudest table in the Great Hall. Harry and Ron moved down so she could sit in between them. The rest of the sorting finished and the meal began.

"What was going on up there? I could see your eyes glowing," Harry said in between bites.

"The bloody hat tried to put me in Slytherin and I had warned it that if it tried, I'd go pyro on its ass. You must have seen the smoke coming off of it. I didn't hurt anyone with that burst of magic, did I?"

"No. The goblets rattled and that was about it."

Just before they were dismissed, McGonagall approached the table.

"Ms. Malfoy-Black, the Headmaster would like to see you. And, 10 points from Gryffindor for your outburst and choice of language."

"Shit," she mumbled as she got up to follow her new Head of House.

At the stone phoenix entrance to Dumbledore's office, McGonagall said the Muggle candy password and started up the stairs. Pyx followed and hoped it wouldn't take long. The wizard sat behind a large desk clustered with different magical objects. Snape stood off to the side, like he was taking in a show vs. being there for school business.

"Please sit, Ms. Malfoy-Black."

"I'd rather stand. Is this because of what happened before I was sorted?"

"Partly but first, I'd like to ask how and why you set the Sorting Hat on fire?" he asked, looking to the top of a bookcase where the Hat laid.

"Actually, it was only smoking. There's a big difference between being on fire and smoking. It tried to put me into Slytherin so I threatened it if it did. It kept saying how I was perfect to be a snake and it pissed me off so I smoked it. Then it said maybe my friends could help with my temper."

"I can't recall any other sorting where the Hat went against its first instinct," Dumbledore said.

"Then Ms. Malfoy-Black should be in my House," Snape spoke up.

Pyx stared at the professor and her eyes started to faintly glow.

"If you force me there, I will not be held responsible for what I do," she seethed.

"Calm down, Ms. Malfoy-Black. No one is forcing you anywhere. The reason I called you here is to discuss your studies. I thought it would be beneficial to provide you with extra assistance. Professors McGonagall and Snape have offered to help you get to where your peers are."

"Thank you, Professors. I would like to be further along than where I am now. I've read the spells and the background info but am still unable to do some of them."

"Also, Professor Snape will help you to learn to control your magic. We cannot afford to have you lose control like you did tonight."

"Whatever. Be glad no one got slammed into a wall. It happened to Harry. Thanks though."

Snape turned to Pyx and sneered at her.

"Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are with me after dinner to curfew. Tuesdays and Thursdays are with Professor McGonagall. You will not be tardy to our lessons. Weekends will be for homework."

"Are you trying to kill me? Did you schedule when I can sleep and pee too? No. Mondays and Wednesday with you and Tuesdays and Thursdays with Professor McGonagall. Fridays and the weekends are free. If and when I get caught up, the lessons will stop. I will not work myself to death."

"No, you'll allow the Death Eaters to do that because you can't defend yourself," he retorted.

There was no warning when the burst of energy erupted from Pyx. It didn't ripple out all around her, it was more focused on Snape. He flew back and slammed into the wall.

"At least if I died, I'll be with people who love me. You'd still be a bitter, alone, angry man, Professor Snape."

Pyx turned on her heel and stormed out of the office. She made it back to the Great Hall before she realized she didn't know where the Gryffindor dormitory was.

"Lost?"

Pyx turned and smiled when she saw Neville. He was out of his robes, in plain trousers and a button up shirt. A toad croaked from his cupped hands.

"That's Trevor. He escaped during the feast. I had to catch him."

"Can you show me the way to the dorms?"

She followed Neville, walking beside him. She caught him looking at her several times before she stopped and grabbed his arm.

"Neville, what is it? You seemed off when Malfoy entered our compartment. Does my stupid cousin tend to torment you a lot?"

"He torments anyone who is not Slytherin or a pureblood. How can you be related to him? You seem nothing alike."

"I'll fill you in on a secret that only a few know. I was raised as a Muggle and it wasn't until after my mum and Gran-mum were killed that my magic came out. They bound my magic so we weren't found."

"But the Malfoys could never survive the Muggle world."

"We did until Lucius Malfoy spotted us. The only reason I didn't die that night was because I was held up at work. I found them when I got home."

Neville and Pyx had stopped walking and he was looking at her. She heard a screech and looked towards the window. Thanatos was sitting on the ledge.

_Mistress, a boy is lurking around the corner listening in._

_A boy with very blond hair?_ she thought.

_Yes, Mistress._

_It's Pyx and thanks._

"Draco Malfoy, come out from around the corner or I'm going to start practicing my hexes on you."

Neville and Pyx turned to see Draco come out of hiding. Neville backed up when he saw the wand in the other boy's hand but she held him steady.

"That was a private conversation you were listening to. If you had wanted to know the truth, all you had to do was ask. Now excuse us because it's almost curfew and we have to get up to the dormitory."

"What you say is not the truth, blood traitor."

"Fine. Don't believe me. I don't care what you think. Thanatos, get rid of my cousin for me."

The falcon flew in and swooped down on Draco. His talons scratched his cheek as he flapped his wings at the boy. Draco tried swatting the bird away but never connected. Thanatos went for one more swoop and finally the Slytherin left before he was bleeding more. The bird landed on Pyx's shoulder and it looked at her.

_Are you OK?_

_Yes, thank you._

"Neville, this is my falcon Thanatos. Thanatos, this is Neville and no, you can't eat his toad. Any small animals in the school and the owls are not food. If need be hunt in the forest or fly to where you can hunt."

_Yes, Pyx. Do you need me for anything else?_

_No. I'll call for you when I need you._

Thanatos flew off and Pyx turned back to Neville. He was looking at her with wide eyes.

"You were talking to him but in your mind."

"Yes. It's not a big deal."

"But it is. Ask Hermione and she'll tell you that most wizards and witches bond with their animal but don't connect telepathically."

"What can I say? I'm unique."

They went up to the common room where Pyx's friends were waiting. She pulled Neville over and told them all of what Dumbledore said.

"Every night doing extra work on top of your current homework. That's bloody nuts," Ron replied.

"Language, Ronald. I'm sure Pyx will be able to handle it. We'll be here to help her."

"You guys have helped me enough. With the professors' help, I'm sure I'll be caught up in no time. I think I'm going to go to bed."

Hermione told her where to go and when Pyx was gone, Neville told them about what happened in the hallway. They were surprised to learn about her connection. Even Harry didn't have that with Hedwig.

"What are we going to do about Malfoy? Her bird isn't going to always be around."

"We just make sure to keep them apart. Hopefully one of us will be in each of her classes," Harry said.


	6. Guardianship

**Note: I do not own 'Harry Potter' but do own my own characters...if anything doesn't seem to jive with the books, it's not meant to...Hope you enjoy it...**

* * *

And it worked out that there was at least one of them in each of Pyx's classes. She stayed with the core classes (Transfiguration, Charms, DADA, Potions) and as extra classes took Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology.

Her lessons with Snape and McGonagall were going well. She was still having a hard time learning to control her magic. Snape would say something to piss her off and she would hold it in for a few seconds before she blew. During these lessons, she became quite proficient at the Reparo charm.

She corresponded with Sirius, using a code they had set up during the summer. He voiced his opinion about Snape all too clearly and vowed to come out of hiding if he hurt her. Pyx wanted him to more because of Dolores Umbridge and her detentions but didn't want to risk him getting caught. And because of her lessons during the week, she had to do the detentions on the weekend, to which she had to miss the 1st Gryffindor Quidditch game.

There was talk around the common room about putting together a group to actually learn the defensive spells they were being taught in DADA. Hermione was the one to suggest the idea since Umbridge wasn't teaching them anything. Those interested met and agreed to meet weekly. It was Pyx would suggested Saturdays so she could attend. Their little group had begun growing to nearly 25 students and took on the name of Dumbledore's Army.

Neville and Pyx were sitting in the common room working on a Herbology essay when Harry stalked through after an Umbridge detention. Pyx could see the blood seeping through the make-shift bandage on his hand. She instinctively rubbed her own healing hand.

"He hasn't been sleeping well. I hear him toss and turn all night. He calls out about Cedric or I'll hear him hiss in Parseltongue."

Pyx turned to her friend and could see the sadness in his brown eyes. She hadn't told anyone but she thought Neville was cute and had begun crushing on him. He caught her looking and smiled.

"He just needs to rest. It's almost Christmas break and I'm sure he'll be his old self again. Nev, when are you gonna start wearing your hair the way I suggested? Spike the front just a little bit and wear that shirt I got for you from Hogsmeade and it'll be a whole new Neville Longbottom."

A slight tinge of blush came to his cheeks. She nudged his shoulder with hers and turned back to the essay. Neville watched her from the corner of his eye. She always bites her lip when she's deep in thought and as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, the light hit her eyes and they sparkled. He was falling for her. Falling hard.

The next morning, Harry was short with everyone. They tried to talk to him and he got angry and yelled. Pyx reached over to rub his arm, like she normally did when he was upset. He pulled away and moved down the table from them.

"I guess he wants to be alone."

The morning mail arrived and Pyx looked up for Thanatos. She was expecting a reply from Sirius about their holiday plans. She didn't see her falcon but did spy an owl approaching her. She took the letter, stroked its feathers and gave it a little piece of toast. She had never received mail other than letters from Sirius and since this wasn't delivered by her bird, it clearly wasn't from him. Before she could open it, another owl dropped a letter on the table in front of her.

"It's got the Ministry's seal on it. I wonder what it is," Neville said.

Because it was from the Ministry of Magic, Pyx opened it first.

**Ms. Pyxis Malfoy-Black,**

**Upon hearing of your mother's death and that your father is deceased as well, a hearing of guardianship will take place December 12, 1995 at 10 o'clock in Courtroom A.**

**It is our understanding that only two uncles are what remains of your family: Mr. Sirius Black and Mr. Lucius Malfoy. A similar letter will be owled to them to notify them of the hearing.**

**Abigail Pepper**

**Director of Child Services**

Pyx carefully laid down the letter and picked up the other letter. She gently opened it and read it. It was from Lucius welcoming her to the family. The last line before he signed it read, 'You didn't think they would let you live with an escaped murderer, did you? How Muggle of you if you had.'

The glow radiated from her entire body, much like the first time she lost control. Those around her moved and when she looked up, her friends saw that her eyes had gotten darker.

"Pyx, calm down. What is it?" Neville asked.

Hermione, Ron, and Ginny tried to calm her too. When Snape and Dumbledore noticed, they quickly approached her. As they reached her though, Draco walked into the Great Hall. Her eyes landed on him and the burst of energy lit up the entire room. Everyone around her was thrown back. Still glowing, she grabbed the letters and marched over to a frozen Draco.

"Tell your father that I'd rather die than live with you."

The air around her cracked and popped as her magic lifted Draco and flung him onto the Slytherin table. The closed doors of the Great Hall opened before her and she left; they slammed shut behind her. Snape had gotten up and approached his student.

"Mr. Malfoy, explain why Ms. Malfoy-Black was angry."

"Father thought it fit to gain guardianship. The Ministry would never give it to her other uncle," he groaned as he sat up.

Because of the silence, everyone had heard what Draco had said. Neville looked to the others before grabbing his stuff and Pyx's. He ran out after her, hoping she didn't do anything drastic. He knew she'd go to the Room of Requirement to let off some steam so that's where he headed first.

Pyx was in the Room of Requirement, blasting wooden dummies that looked like Lucius Malfoy. She was swearing like a sailor, telling the dummies exactly what was on her mind. Neville stopped to watch his friend and when she paused for a second, he went to her.

"It's going to be alright, Pyx. Professor Dumbledore will stop it."

"There's nothing he can do. Uncle Sirius can't show up at the hearing because he's an escaped convict and they'd throw him straight into jail. That leaves Lucius Malfoy as my only other relative. Shouldn't it matter that I'll be 17 soon? Isn't that when wizards and witches come of age?"

"Yes," Neville replied, not liking the gleam in her eyes.

"They can't force me to live with Malfoy if they can't find me. Nev, I need you to find Harry and ask for his map. If you tell him why I need it, I'm sure he'll let you borrow it."

"Pyx, I don't like the sound of this. What if you get caught?"

"You have to remember who my uncle is. Sirius Black was a Marauder and if he can sneak around the school, so can I," she said, walking closer to her best friend. "I'll be OK, Nev. I'll stay with my uncle until my birthday."

"But that's in March. I can't go that long without you here. You're my best friend. I haven't been this happy since it turned out I wasn't a squib."

"I'll write you. We'll use that code I showed you. Now please go find Harry and ask for the map."

Neville did as she asked and convinced Harry to let him borrow it. He wasn't thrilled that Pyx was leaving but he understood that it kept her away from the Malfoys. Neville went back to the Room of Requirement at lunch since he couldn't miss class or the professors would know something was up. Pyx had fallen asleep on a bunch of cushions and he watched her sleep for a few minutes before waking her.

"I solemnly swear I'm up to no good," she said, tapping it with her wand.

Most of the dots were centered in the Great Hall with a few people straggling behind. The coast was clear to the passageway to get into Honeydukes.

"How are you going to get to where your uncle is?" he asked.

"I was thinking of taking the Knight Bus to London and then I'll get there by Muggle cab. I hope the few Galleons I have in my pocket will be enough."

"Hermione packed a few things for you. She said she'll bring the rest to you during the holidays."

Pyx checked out what her friend packed for her and saw her money pouch. It was still nearly full from the summer. She gave Neville a smile and looked at the map again.

"Let's go."

With the help of the map, they got to the entrance of the passageway. Pyx wiped the map clean and gave it back to Neville.

"Thanks, Nev. I'll send you a letter once I'm settled. Don't give me that look. It'll be OK."

"I just don't want to see you hurt."

"You know I'd take down anyone who tried. I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too."

Pyx hugged Neville but before she slipped away, she kissed him hard and deep.

"Just think of that while I'm away. I'll want to continue that when I get back."

Pyx left as Neville started to blush. He went to the Great Hall and sat at the table. He slipped Harry the map and the boy almost questioned the blush.

"Did she get off OK?" Ron asked.

"Yeah. Said she'll write."

The Gryffindor made her way down the passageway and slipped up through the cellar into the store. She bought some candy to eat on the bus before she made her way to the edge of town. Pyx pulled her wand and waved it. It took almost half a minute for it to show up.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, transportation for the stranded witch or wizard. I'm Stan Shunpike, your conductor. Where are you headed?"

"The Leaky Cauldron."

Pyx paid the fee and took a seat in one of the chairs. The bus sped off and the seats shifted.

"Bloody hell. Can't you stick these chairs to the floor?" she cried.

Stan ignored her and she tried to look at the scenery but it was going by too fast. They had to stop for pedestrians a couple of times before it stopped at the pub. Pyx got up, staggered a bit before getting off the Knight Bus. She was happy to have her feet solidly on the ground again.

She pulled off her robes and took off the tie she was wearing. Pyx stuffed them into her bag and walked into London more. It didn't take her long to hail a cab.

"Is 10 pounds enough to get to Grimmauld Place?" she asked counting her Muggle money.

"Probably not."

"Kings Cross?"

"That should do it. Why is a girl your age out at this time and not at school?"

"My mum called the school and said my Gran was ill and I needed to get home quick," she lied.

The driver accepted her answer and drove off. A few minutes later, they pulled up to Kings Cross. The fare was 8 pounds so she gave him the 10 pound note and got out. She walked the dozen or so blocks to Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Luckily no one was outside so she could easily go in without attracting attention.

"Uncle Sirius?" she called.

"Where have you been?" Mrs. Weasley shouted as she came from the kitchen.

"Making my way here. I won't go back until after my birthday."

"What does your birthday have to do with anything?" she asked.

"Lucius Malfoy is trying to get guardianship over me. Where's Uncle Sirius? I need to talk to him."

"He's upstairs with Buckbeak."

Pyx climbed the stairs and went into Buckbeak's room. She couldn't see Sirius but still bowed to the hippogriff. It bowed back.

"Uncle Sirius, are you in here? I need to talk to you."

"Pyx? It's not the holidays yet, is it?"

"No. I don't suppose you have room for another runaway here? You probably can't get mail here because of the Fidelius charm."

"No, why? What happened? You didn't curse anyone did you? Unless it was a Slytherin then that's alright."

"It seems there's a hearing about my guardianship and it's between you and Malfoy. He knows that you won't be able to show up without getting arrested so it's a guarantee for him to get me. I wasn't going to let that happen so I skipped out on Hogwarts. Everyone knows I'm pissed off so it would be safe to think I left."

"Pyx, what did you do?" he said, moving closer to look at his niece.

"Threw Malfoy onto a table. I was too angry to control my magic. All that work with Snape and it didn't do squat. Anyways, I'm staying here until my birthday. I need to write Nev so I'll see you later."

Pyx left Sirius and headed to her room. She mentally called out to Thanatos and started in on the letter to Neville. Her falcon appeared and asked why she wasn't at school. She filled him in on what happened and gave the letter to him once it was finished.

_Don't go to the Great Hall to give it to him. Go to the window of his dormitory. Any of the boys will let you in but don't give it to anyone except Nev._

_Of course, Pyx._

The falcon did not like that his owner was having a hard time with her relatives. As he flew out of Grimmauld Place, an impossible smirk touched his beak.


	7. Proof

**Note: I do not own 'Harry Potter' but do own my own characters...if anything doesn't seem to jive with the books, it's not meant to...Hope you enjoy it...**

* * *

Sirius had put Regulus' painting in the front sitting room so that was where she went. Her father looked as if he was sleeping so she took a spot on the couch and waited for him to wake up.

"You are the only person who'd come in here and not purposefully wake me up. How was your first term at Hogwarts?"

"Going good until this morning. I had friends, I was doing well in my classes, I had a guy who likes me, and then it falls apart. I have to stay here until March."

Regulus asked why and she explained the Ministry letter and then what Lucius sent. His reaction was calm and collected. He didn't want his daughter to know how angry he was at Lucius so he kept it inside. If he had still been alive, he would have strangled the man.

"Have you come across a red book while in my room?"

"No. Why?"

"Taking that locket wasn't the only thing I had as insurance," he smirked.

Pyx levitated the portrait up to her room, which had been her father's. Kreacher kept the room clean while she was gone so she didn't have to worry about cleaning it of dust. She rested the painting against the dresser and went searching for a red book. After a few minutes, Regulus chuckled and called his daughter over.

"Maybe I should tell you where it is. Go into that far right corner and three boards from the wall, there is a loose one. It's under the board."

"Why didn't I think to look for a loose floorboard? Only an evil genius would have thought to look for that first," she said sarcastically.

"Just get the bloody book, Pyx," he mocked.

She got onto her hands and knees and found the loose board. She pried it up and grabbed the book. There were other things down there but she'd look at that stuff later. Pyx dusted it off and sat beside the portrait.

"Everything I did for the Dark Lord or witnessed, I wrote in there. There's names, descriptions, dates, and other information. I know I've written about Lucius several times in there. It was him who took me in front of the Dark Lord for the joining ritual."

"I've heard that he said he was under the Imperius curse. Why would they believe this journal over a man with Galleons to back him up?" she asked, looking at the book in her lap.

"Because of what I hid with the journal. You noticed the other things in there? Find the velvet pouch."

Pyx found the pouch and a little box. She ignored the box and poured out the contents of the pouch. There were 5 vials of a silvery substance.

"Those are memories. I pulled those out before my last task. Paired with the journal, there's nothing that can save Lucius. Well except if the Minister's a Death Eater. I've heard that the Order has several high ranking Aurors so I'm sure that wouldn't matter."

"But how can I prove to them that Uncle Sirius isn't a Death Eater? Harry told me that it was Peter Pettigrew who informed Voldemort where his parents were."

"Pettigrew sold out his best friends? I never really liked him. He's mentioned in the journal. Sirius told me that they never questioned him under Veritaserum so they could do that."

Pyx and Regulus talked about a way to prove Sirius innocent and set Lucius and Wormtail up. They talked long into the night, ignoring Mrs. Weasley when she came to let the girl know it was dinner time or when Sirius threatened to carry her out. She just blew him out of the door, telling him that their plan was more important than food.


	8. Thanatos' Gift

**Note: I do not own 'Harry Potter' but do own my own characters...if anything doesn't seem to jive with the books, it's not meant to...Hope you enjoy it...**

* * *

Meanwhile, Thanatos flew to Hogwarts and found the window to the 5th year boys' dormitory. He pecked the window a few times until Seamus let him in. He flew over to Neville's bed and waited. Seamus tried to take the letter but the falcon tried to bite him.

"Watch out for the bloody bird, Ron. It nearly bit me," Seamus warned the redhead as he escaped the room.

Ron saw Thanatos and noticed the parchment. He ended up scratched and bleeding before he noticed the 'NL' on the front.

"Oi, Neville. Come and get the bloody letter before it does anymore damage to me," he yelled down to the common room.

Neville literally ran up the stairs and called Thanatos down from his new perch above Neville's bed. The falcon gave him the letter and took up his spot again. Neville opened the letter and ran back downstairs. Using the decipher, he uncoded the letter.

_Nev,_

_I got here safe. I'll talk to Dumbledore about you coming here for a visit during the holidays. I'll go nuts without you here. You're like my rock. Good luck on exams. If Thanatos is still there, send a reply._

_Pyx_

He started in on a letter back to her and was the last one to leave the common room. He sure hoped that he'd be able to visit. Neville could still taste her grape lip gloss on his lips.

In the morning, Neville rolled up his letter to Pyx and gave it to Thanatos. The falcon took it and left. He didn't leave Hogwarts just yet. He had a little gift for Draco that needed delivering. He left the letter in a safe place and got ready.

The morning post arrived and Thanatos flew in with the owls. Rather than attack now, he bided his time. When the owls seemed to clear out, he swooped in. He attacked the Slytherin with his talons, scratching the boy's face and hands. On his way out, Thanatos pooped right on his hair.

_He got what he deserved_, he thought.

_What did you do, Thanatos?_ Pyx asked.

_Nothing. Neville has a letter for you._

_Then hurry back._

Thanatos did as his owner told him. She was waiting on edge to read his letter. Pyx was surprised to see that it filled 2 pieces of parchment. As she read, a smile appeared on her lips. Pyx couldn't wait to see him.

_Thanatos, I need you to do me a favor. I don't know if it will be possible but I'd like you to try. Try to locate a man by the name of Peter Pettigrew. He likes to shrink down into a rat. If he does, catch him and bring him back. You can hurt him but don't kill him. I'll reward you big time if you can._

_How long do you want me to search for him?_

Pyx told him and sent the falcon on his way. If Wormtail couldn't be caught, then she'd use the journal and memories. If they still chose Malfoy as her guardian, then she'll disappear until she's of age, even if it meant not seeing Neville.

Dumbledore was not happy with her. She explained her plan to him and he seemed to be back to his old self. The twinkle had never left his eyes but it got brighter when she was done. Sirius was too speechless.

"There had been proof this whole time and no one knew about it," he yelled.

"Only Dad knew of the floor board. You must have had a place to hide stuff from your family."

"It was my entire room. They hated going in there. That's why there's Muggle posters everywhere."

"Ms. Malfoy-Black, you do realize the consequences if you show this journal and the memories to the court? Your uncle will not be pleased," Dumbledore said.

"Doesn't matter. He'll be in Azkaban. The only other problem would be my cousin and well, he can just sod off for all I care."

Pyx wrote another letter to Neville telling him about the plan, the entire plan. Dumbledore said that if his grandmother was OK with it, he could visit. She told him that she missed him deeply and couldn't wait to see him again.


	9. The Trial

**Note: I do not own 'Harry Potter' but do own my own characters...if anything doesn't seem to jive with the books, it's not meant to...Hope you enjoy it...**

* * *

The day of the trial came and Pyx had been up since 6am. She was too nervous about what would happen. Thanatos hadn't come back with Wormtail yet so she clung onto the journal and the pouch.

"It will be fine, Pyx."

"I'm still going up against a Death Eater and Voldemort supporters. I know the shit you went through but you were one of them. I'm a blood traitor in their eyes and they will not hesitate to kill me," she told her father.

It was great that Snape kept vials of Polyjuice potion in his stores. He wasn't thrilled to be giving several vials to Sirius. Pyx pointed out that at least they were using someone else to impersonate and not him. An Order member had taken some hair from a Muggle barber shop. Sirius was now 6' 2 with sandy blond hair, a muscular build, and a goatee. He looked to be in his mid 20s and could have worked as a model.

"Damn, Uncle Sirius. If I didn't like Nev, you'd be seeing a lot of that Muggle if I ever found him."

Pyx, Sirius, and Remus headed to the Ministry. They piled into the red telephone booth, punched in the numbers 6-2-4-4-2, and gave their names for their visitors' badges. Pyx and Remus turned their wands in for inspection at the security desk.

"What about him?" the guard asked.

"Broke it. Gotta get another one from Ollivanders," Sirius grumbled.

The three of them headed to the lifts and headed down to Courtroom A. Kingsley got on at another floor and whispered into Remus' ear.

"It's been changed. Rather than a private hearing, it's in front of the entire Wizengamot."

"You gotta be shitting me," she whispered.

They headed down further into the depth of the Ministry to get to the large courtroom. Pyx followed behind Sirius and Remus but stopped when she saw Lucius talking to someone. They turned to look at her and she saw Cornelius Fudge, the Minister. She balled up her fists and her nails dug into her palms. Up ahead, Remus stopped because he could smell fresh blood. He turned and the scent was coming from Pyx.

"Are you alright?"

"He's up to something. If the plan doesn't work and I can't run away, I'd rather die than live with him," she seethed.

"Pyx?"

The girl turned and an instant later, she smiled. She threw herself into his arms and hugged him. Sirius and Remus watched the interaction between the two friends.

"What are you doing here, Danny?"

"I work here as a solicitor. The restaurant is just a hobby of mine. What about you?"

"Is it in another courtroom? Please tell me it's not the guardianship case."

"I can't do that. Wait. Are you the witch who is being fought over?"

"Yes. Did you know that I was a witch?"

"Your mother let it slip that she ran away from our world. I didn't know she was Lucius Malfoy's sister though."

"Whose side are you on?" she pleaded, hoping it was her side.

Danny looked at Pyx and sighed. He shook his head. She had always been tough, more so after her mother and grandmother's deaths. Now she seemed vulnerable and scared. The look he gave her said it all.

"Why would he want a wizard that lived in the Muggle world, who enjoyed Muggle things, to represent him?"

"I shouldn't even be talking to you. Excuse me."

Danny walked away and Pyx went over to Sirius and Remus.

"Let's just leave. I'm getting screwed over every way I turn. He hired the man who gave me my first job and who posed as my father to the Muggle authorities."

"It will be OK, Pyx. He'll have to excuse himself from the case. Our solicitor is waiting for us."

"If I knew he worked here, I would have wanted him. Not some appointed one who really could care less about what happened to me."

Sirius took a sip out of the vial and they headed into the courtroom. Their solicitor, Mr. Bayer, approached them and led them over to a table. Lucius, the blond woman from Platform 9 ¾, and Danny were talking at the next table. There was a third table set up for Sirius and his solicitor but everyone thought he wouldn't show up. His solicitor sat alone and staring off into space.

There were plenty of spectators. Rita Skeeter was there with her Quik-Quill ready to write whatever lies she wanted. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were there Even her distant cousin Andromeda Tonks was there with her daughter. The only people not there and those who Pyx desperately wanted to see were her friends. They were back at Hogwarts writing exams.

"This guardianship hearing is now called to order. It seems Mr. Black did not feel his niece's guardianship was important enough to attend," Fudge said.

"Asshole," Pyx breathed.

Sirius smirked at her comment and relaxed his fists. Remus looked over at his friend and waited to pull him back if he tried to do anything.

"Minister, it seems that I have a conflict of interest in this case. I knew Pyxis Malloy, sorry Malfoy-Black, before this. In order to receive a fair hearing, I will need to be excused," Danny said.

"Nonsense. Clearly you care for her and wish her to be placed in an appropriate home. Your presence here will be beneficial for her."

_Bloody git. I was forced to be his representative. I couldn't even decline,_ Danny thought.

Danny stood up and walked in between the tables and the front platform.

"Mr. Malfoy is an upperclassman wizard with a wife and son. With his financial ingenuity, he has been able to raise millions of Galleons for St. Mungo's, other notable charities, and even backed part of the costs for the fountain in the lobby. Ms. Malfoy-Black will benefit if the Malfoys are given guardianship. She will have the opportunity to learn more about the magical world from one of the oldest wizarding families around."

Danny sat down and Fudge turned to Sirius' solicitor. The bald man stood but stayed behind the table.

"Sirius Black had been in Auror training until he was falsely accused and sent to Azkaban. He only escaped when the real killer was pictured in the Daily Prophet. Mr. Black is…"

"Enough. Sit down. This is only a formality. The Ministry stands behind its conviction of Mr. Black. Ms. Malfoy-Black only has one direct relative left. So unless there is nothing else she will…"

"Shut up. It's my life so don't I have a say in what happens to it? You may think Sirius Black is the one responsible for several deaths but what if I could prove that Lucius Malfoy is not the upstanding citizen you all think he is? What if I have proof that he killed a family of Muggles because they laughed at him? What if I could…"

_Caw!_

Everyone looked up and Pyx saw Thanatos. An Auror raised his wand at the falcon.

"If you shoot my bird, I'll kill you," she threatened, raising her own wand.

Thanatos flew down and hovered above her. She reached up and took the thing in its talons. Her hands clamped down tighter on it and she nodded to Sirius. She hadn't told them this part of the plan. Only Neville knew.

"What if I could present the one really responsible for betraying James and Lily Potter and who killed those Muggles?"

The eyes of every Order member went wide and stared at Pyx. She stood and left the table. She approached the Wizengamot but stopped.

"A man I knew to be alive and have caught to prove my uncle's innocence. I will need assistance in containing him."

"Where is this man? Invisible?" a member of the court asked.

"Before I turn him over, I want a Wizard's Oath that you'll free my uncle, wipe his record clean, and give him compensation. I also want it to be known that the real killer is an unregistered Animagus and will need a special cell in Azkaban."

"No," Minister Fudge said.

"Fine. Ms. Skeeter, please make it known to the public that Minister Fudge turned a murderer free because he couldn't get over his own pigheadedness. Also that he dismissed proof that Mr. Malfoy is a Death Eater and is a murderer himself. I do believe that they'll have your head on a platter before the evening is through, Minister."

"Objection. What proof could she be talking about? Ministry records clearly prove that my client was under the Imperius curse during the first war," Danny said, after Lucius glared at him.

"That's bullshit. The proof I have shows that he was not under the Imperius. I also have records that list several other Death Eaters by name. Now what do you say, Minister?"

"I will not do a Wizard's Oath but I will put it in writing that if your proof is found reliable, then the matter will be looked into."

"I also want a compensation package paid to Uncle Sirius, including a new wand to replace the one you snapped before you sent him to Azkaban without a fair trial. I also want a public apology and if he'd accept it, a job as an Auror. That's what he would have been if the Ministry hadn't gone all blond and stupid, convicting him without hard evidence."

While Pyx waited for Fudge's decision, she felt the rat bite her but only squeezed harder. Again it was Remus who smelled the blood first. He nudged Sirius and they both stared at the girl. Blood could be seen dripping from her clasped hands.

"Ms. Malfoy-Black, why is your hand bleeding?"

"Stupid rat bit me. If you don't hurry up and decide, he'll be squeezed to death."

"Rat?" a witch asked.

"Yes. I'll show you all if the Minister could bloody well hurry up. He's now digging at my palms," she said through clenched teeth, as more blood flowed.

"Alright. Yes. I'll add those conditions in. Weatherby, write it up and I'll sign it. Now show us."

"Not until you sign it."

They both knew that if the document was not signed, it wasn't legal and he could back out of the deal. Percy Weasley wrote it up and Fudge signed it quickly. The document was copied and levitated down to Pyx's solicitor.

"Like I explained, I'll need an Auror with his wand ready. He's a quick little bugger and he will try to make a run for it."

An Auror stepped forward and transfigured a button into a cage.

"If he is an Animagus, the cage will shift into shackles and cuffs when we change him back," he said.

Pyx wasn't too sure if she could trust this guy. She looked over at Remus and Sirius. Both nodded and she held her bloody hands over the opening of the cage. The rat dropped inside and the door clang shut. The Auror waved his wand and said an incantation. The cage glowed and the rat inside turned into a stocky man. The metal altered into the restraints.

"Oh, look. Peter Pettigrew is alive and pretty much well. I guess then Sirius Black didn't kill those Muggles. I guess you'll have to do that public apology and everything else you agreed to. How does it feel to be out smarted by a 16 year old?" Pyx asked.

The man looked around the courtroom and saw several people he knew. He saw Lucius so he was scared. The man looked ready to kill. At least he wasn't gripped in those talons anymore.

"Peter Pettigrew, you will be held and tried for killing 12 Muggles. Auror, take him away."

"There's plenty more that he's guilty for. Now I want to hear those 4 certain words before I submit the other evidence."

Fudge looked unsettled but he straightened his shoulders and leaned forward.

"Sirius Black is innocent."

"I told you that from the beginning," Sirius muttered.

Pyx pulled out the journal and the pouch of memories. She held them out for everyone to see.

"While it is true that my father was a Death Eater, he slowly realized it was wrong. He kept this journal and removed several of his memories to hide away. I have showed the journal and memories to several others so that if someone becomes creative and tried to alter them, it wouldn't work. Remus, if you could please duplicate the journal for me? My father included entries that weren't Death Eater related and I would like to hold onto his words."

Remus duplicated the journal and Pyx tucked the copy into her robes. An Auror came to her table and took the journal and the pouch to Fudge.

"We will adjourn until we have had a chance to look at his," he said.

The Wizengamot left and Pyx turned to the Malfoys. She raised her eyebrows and smirked at them before turning back to Remus and Sirius.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Sirius asked as Remus healed her hands with a quick spell.

"I wasn't sure if Thanatos would be able to find him. Rather than just discredit Malfoy, I set you free. You don't have to stay cooped up in the house anymore. Harry can live with you rather than go back to those relatives."

The other Order members approached them outside the courtroom. They were ecstatic that Sirius was free and clear. Pyx called to Thanatos and sent a note to her friends at school. Everyone headed to a wizard friendly restaurant in London to celebrate and to wait out the Wizengamot.

"Can you order me a butterbeer? I'll be right back," Pyx said, as she headed to the washroom.

When she exited the stall, she was hit by a stunning spell. The tall blond woman from the courtroom came into view.

"What you're trying to do will not work. You may have freed my cousin but you lost the Dark Lord a follower. He will reward us for bringing him a new one."

Narcissa Malfoy grabbed onto Pyx and apparated to Malfoy Manor. She left the girl stunned in a dungeon cell and made her way back upstairs.

Back at the restaurant, Sirius was wondering why it was taking Pyx so long to come back. He asked Mrs. Weasley to check on her. The redhead went to the washroom and looked everywhere. She ran back to the table and told the others.

"Where could she have gone?"

"Tonks, can you check it out with the tracking spell on apparition? Someone must have grabbed her," Remus said.

Tonks headed to the back and scanned the area with the spell. One spell told her someone apparated and another spell, only known to Aurors, revealed whom. She saw the name and ran back to the table, not knocking anything over on the way.

"Notify Kingsley and he'll send a team down here. I have no right being as I'm family," she said, falling into her chair.

"Who took her?"

"Narcissa Malfoy. We've got to hurry. I don't know where they went."

A Floo call later and a three man team showed up. Kingsley was the one in charge and he sent one Auror to check out the washroom and the other to talk with anyone sitting near the back of the restaurant.

"I believe Mr. Malfoy is still waiting at the Ministry for the ruling. I'm sure his wife will be there shortly if she hasn't already returned," Kingsley said.

"Please, Kingsley. Find her," Mrs. Weasley pleaded. "No child should go through as much as she has."

Their bill was paid, food not even ordered and they returned to the Ministry. Sirius was furious and wanted to talk to Lucius privately. He stormed through the lobby, by passing the security desk. The Polyjuice potion was wearing off and several wizards and witches screamed and ran. Sirius saw the tell tale blond hair of Lucius Malfoy and stormed up to him.

"Where the hell is Pyx? What the bloody hell did you do to her?"

Lucius allowed the man to yell at him for a moment. He knew of the turn of events but thought this scene was better. Narcissa exited out of the women's washroom and was soon face to face with Molly Weasley.

"Where is she? Why did you take her?"

"Take who? I have not left my husband's side. Our solicitor can attest to that," she said calmly.

Sirius kept yelling at Lucius and even had to be pulled back by Remus and Mr. Weasley.

"I have no clue as to what you're talking about, Black. Last I saw my niece is when she left with you. You must have done something to her."

Kingsley walked up to the group and asked if he could question Narcissa about Pyx's disappearance.

"Mrs. Malfoy, did you leave the Ministry to abduct Pyxis Malfoy-Black?"

"No. As I was telling her, I never left my husband's side except to use the washroom. Mr. Johnstone cane support that claim."

All eyes turned to Danny. He was worried for Pyx but it was true. Narcissa only left their side a few minutes ago. He told them this and Kingsley thought about it. To follow the group to the restaurant, grab Pyx, and hide her somewhere was longer than a few minutes. Realization slowly started to hit the others as they came to this conclusion.

A wizard approached and notified them that a decision had been made. Kingsley went ahead to let the Wizengamot know that Pyx had been taken. Sirius turned to the Malfoys.

"I know it was you. Now that I'm free, I won't rest until I have her back."

"You can start looking elsewhere, Black, because we don't have her," Lucius said, tapping his cane on the marble floor.

Lucius and Narcissa followed Danny to the lifts and headed down to the courtroom. The others followed and when Sirius saw the black Auror, he demanded that the Malfoys be given Veritaserum.

"It will have to wait until after the hearing. I will talk to Mr. Johnstone and see if he will still be representing them."

"They have a whole firm under their thumb and yet they decide to use Ministry representation? It doesn't make sense."

Everyone was back in the courtroom and Sirius sat at his table with his rightful solicitor. Lucius looked at him and tilted his head.

"We have reached a decision pertaining to the guardianship of Pyxis Malfoy-Black. It seems that the duplicating spell was not performed very accurately so the journal is inadmissible until the original is submitted to the court."

"That is the original," Sirius said.

"Clearly you are mistaken, Mr. Black We have not had an opportunity to validate the memories as of yet. Until a time when they have been reviewed, I am awarding guardianship to Mr. and Mrs. Lucius Malfoy."

Fudge banged his gavel and left. Sirius was beyond mad. Kinglsey approached Danny and talked to him. The solicitor shook his head and left.

"Mr. Malfoy, I would request your presence along with your wife's upstairs to the Magical Law Enforcement department. There are a few questions I would still like to ask your wife. I strongly recommend that you notify your private solicitor to meet us there."

"My dear, please owl Mr. Harding. Tell him where we'll be."

Narcissa, with one of the Aurors, headed upstairs and owled their attorney. Upon her arrival at the MLE department, she was greeted by an angry Sirius and a placid Lucius. They didn't have to wait long for Mr. Harding to appear.

"Auror Shacklebolt, why was this meeting arranged?"

"Pyxis Malfoy-Black has been kidnapped and a trace was done on the apparition signature. It identified Mrs. Malfoy and Ms. Mafloy-Black. We have grounds to question her under Veritaserum."

"I see. Has Mrs. Malfoy submitted a statement to these false accusations?"

"Not a formal one. If you agree to it, we can bypass the paperwork and go straight to the questioning."

Mr. Harding nodded and the four of them headed into a private room. Sirius paced while Remus sat quietly. Mr. Weasley had gone back to work while Mrs. Weasley was fretting in the chair beside Remus. After 10 minutes, Kingsley followed Mr. Harding and the Malfoys out of the room.

"It'll take a minute for the antidote to take full effect."

"If you find my niece, please let us know," Lucius said.

"Kingsley?"

"She did not take Ms. Malfoy-Black."

Narcissa was wrapped in her husband's embrace, still reeling from the after effects of the truth potion. Sirius turned to her and shot off a couple of questions of his own.

"Who took Pyx? Where is she? Are you and your husband Death Eaters?"

"I don't know. She's not here. We are…not," she replied, the antidote kicking in at the last second.

The Malfoys left and Sirius turned to his friends.

"They have her. Who else had an issue with her but them? They've already discredited the journal and it was the original. I'm not liking this."


	10. Imperio

**Note: I do not own 'Harry Potter' but do own my own characters...if anything doesn't seem to jive with the books, it's not meant to...Hope you enjoy it...**

* * *

"Look at our guest. All huddled into the corner like a Muggle."

"I'd rather be a Muggle than related to you. Hell, I'd rather be dead."

"That could be arranged."

"I know you have no qualms about killing family, dear uncle. You killed your own sister."

"I may have notified the Dark Lord about the whereabouts of a blood traitor but it was another who killed her," he said.

"With you there cheering them on, no doubt. So let me guess. You paid off the Wizengamot and got custody of me."

"Malfoys always get what they want."

"Well, I want the bloody hell out of here," Pyx yelled, attacking the cell door.

"Oh, you will be out of that cell momentarily but you will not be leaving the Manor. At least not until your wedding night."

"What the hell?!"

"As your guardian, I have accepted a proposal for you to marry into another prominent pureblood family. You will wed over the holidays."

"You've got to be shitty me. Isn't there an age limitation?" she hoped.

"No Malfoy child will be born out of wedlock," Lucius replied with a sneer.

Pyx let her uncle's comment sink in and she realized how they were going to support this marriage.

"That is so not happening. Besides, I was born out of wedlock and I am a Malfoy."

"That may be true but your mother was a blood traitor and no decent pureblood family would allow a bastard child to be born."

"May I dare ask who bought me for the highest price?"

"Never mind that. He will be here in a few days to finalize the arrangement. Now I could leave you in here until then or you could stay upstairs in a guest room. Your choice."

"I pick to get the hell out of here. _Reducto!_" she said, whipping out her wand.

The spell hit the cell door but did nothing. Lucius stood there and smirked. It just pissed Pyx off more. She tried a couple more spells and then got really angry. She thought like her uncle and smirked. She pointed her wand out of the little opening and cast a spell.

"_Imperio!_"

The spell hit Lucius and he stumbled. Pyx approached the door more and looked at her uncle.

"Open the door," she ordered.

Lucius fought the spell but still opened the door. She exited the cell and ordered him to take her out of there. She hid behind him as he led the way up from the dungeons. Pyx saw the front door and tried running to it.

"_Petrificus Totalus!_"

Pyx was trapped in her own body for the second time that day. Her solid body was turned over and she looked up at Lucius. His face was red and his hair was haphazard. He smoothed it out and glared at the girl.

"How dare you use an Unforgivable on me," he bellowed. "_Crucio!_"

Even petrified, she could feel the pain from the curse. Her body felt like thousands of hot pokers were being jabbed into her skin. She couldn't scream or move from the stunning spell. Lucius eventually stopped the curse and levitated Pyx up the stairs to a room. He pried the wand from her fingers and pocketed it. He left her on the bed and backed up.

"_Finite Incantatem! Imperio!_"

Pyx didn't have a chance to do anything before the second spell hit her. Her eyes glazed over and she laid there.

"Sit up. You will change into robes befitting a Malfoy and come down to eat. You will not go against your aunt or myself. You will love living here and call us Uncle and Aunt. Your fiancé will be here soon and you will go through with the wedding."

Pyx nodded her head in agreement as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"Besides your uncle, who do you love? Who would you die to protect?" he asked.

"Nev," she answered quietly.

"Who?"

"Neville Frank Longbottom."

Lucius sneered and told her to get changed. He left her to owl Draco and to set things in motion.


	11. I, Neville Longbottom

**Note: I do not own 'Harry Potter' but do own my own characters...if anything doesn't seem to jive with the books, it's not meant to...Hope you enjoy it...**

* * *

Thanatos delivered the note to Pyx's friends and since he wasn't needed, he went to hunt. Neville was the most anxious to hear what the outcome was. While he was happy that Sirius had been set free (as was everyone else), he wanted to hear about Pyx. He hoped that she'd come back before the holidays began.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Mr. Longbottom and Ms. Granger, please follow me," McGonagall asked.

The four students followed her to Dumbledore's office. Neville hadn't been in the office before so he looked around at the interesting things. The headmaster was sitting behind the desk, looking withdrawn.

"Headmaster, what's wrong?" Hermione asked.

"No doubt you've heard about Sirius' innocence. A situation has arisen. While at lunch to celebrate and to wait for the custody decision, Ms. Malfoy-Black was taken."

"What?" Harry cried.

"She was taken from the washroom. The apparition signature of the kidnapper was investigated and proved to be planted."

"Who?" Neville asked. He was angry and those around him could tell by the edge in his voice.

"At the moment, we are unsure."

"Whose signature was it?" he asked.

"It does not matter who. The Magical Law Enforcement department has questioned the person in question under Veritaserum. She did not take Ms. Malfoy-Black."

"Whose bloody signature?" Neville seethed.

No one had ever heard the boy swear before. Their faces showed their surprise and Hermione took a step closer to calm him. The magic was radiating off of him.

"While it proved wrong, it identified Narcissa Malfoy."

"Sir, is there anyway to falsify the apparition signature?" Hermione asked.

"There are a few ways and I assure you that they are being looked into," Dumbledore said.

"Professor, was a decision made regarding Pyx's guardianship?" Ron questioned.

"For the time being, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy are her guardians."

Neville stormed out of the office to find Draco. Every student he ran into were frightened by how angry he looked. They ran from him and proceeded to tell everyone they saw. Neville checked the Great Hall but he wasn't there. He stormed down into the dungeons trying to find the Slytherin. He did find one but not the one he was searching for.

"Zabini, tell Malfoy to get his bloody arse out here. I need to speak to him," Neville growled.

Blaise Zabini, interested in why the normal placid Gryffindor wanted his friend, entered the Slytherin common room and beckoned Draco. The blond, who was reading the letter from his father, smirked. He knew exactly as to why the Gryffindor was there.

"Crabbe, Goyle, come but don't do anything to him. He's mine unless I tell you otherwise."

Blaise followed the other boys out. A few others wanted to see this as well so they followed. Neville was pacing the hallway waiting to face Draco.

"You bellowed, Longbottom. What crawled up your knickers?"

"I've had enough of your entire family of Death Eaters. Pyx had proof of the man your father is. She turns it over to the Ministry but manages to get kidnapped. Even with proof, your bloody family gets guardianship. She proved her uncle's innocence but doesn't get to celebrate it with him."

"What's it to you, Longbottom? Were you dating the blood traitor?" Draco said, leaning against the wall.

Other students had heard the conversation between Neville and Draco and headed down to the dungeons to watch. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were there too, trying to push their way to the front. They wanted to stop their friend from doing anything rash. Those closest to the boy could feel the magic in the air.

"How fitting. A blood traitor and a squib," the Slytherin continued.

Neville pulled his wand and yelled a spell. Draco was blasted into the wall, crumpling to the ground. He staggered to his feet and brushed his hair out of his eyes. Draco held out his hand to the other Slytherins who were about to confront Neville.

"I got this. You think you can do better than me, Longbottom? You don't even have a fraction of the power your parents had and they couldn't stand up against my aunt Bella."

No one knew what Draco was talking about. Harry had been told Neville's parents were hurt during the first war and couldn't raise their son but not how they were hurt. Neville's jaw clenched and his grip on his father's wand got tighter.

"Like I said, Malfoy, your entire family is Death Eater scum. My parents might have gone insane from the Cruciatus curse but at least they have beating hearts. Yours were never beating and have shriveled up. Perfect heartless drones for Voldemort to order around," Neville said harshly.

The entire group of students, except for Harry and Neville, shivered at the name. Neville was angry and wanted to duel. He knew if he challenged Draco to a duel, the pureblood would have to agree.

"Sod off, Longbottom. You don't scare me. Remember I've seen you and your wand in practice before."

Draco turned and started back to the entrance of the Slytherin dormitory. Neville stepped forward and pocketed his wand.

"I, Neville Longbottom, challenge you, Draco Malfoy, to a pureblood duel."

The purebloods around him gasped. They knew the laws and quickly explained them to those who didn't know.

"What do you mean, Ron? What type of duel?" Hermione asked. This was one thing she hadn't studied yet.

"When one pureblood challenges another to a pureblood duel, it cannot be declined. When the laws were written, it meant a duel to the death. Now it's a duel until someone is severely wounded. The wizards have a week to prepare for the duel. No fighting until then and anything goes except for the Unforgivables."

Draco turned to face Neville and approached him. They stood the same height so their eyes glared into the others. The duel had to be shaken on so Neville held out his hand.

"I forgot a squib could be a pureblood. I accept the duel, Longbottom. Live your last week to the fullest. A Malfoy never loses."

The Slytherins left and Neville turned to leave. He was met by 6 angry friends.

"Neville Longbottom, how dare you challenge Malfoy to a duel," Ginny cried.

"Come on, mate. You can barely transfigure a button properly," Seamus offered.

"I'd do anything for Pyx. They have her; I know it. So either help me prepare or get out of my way."

"First things first then. Calm down. You're beginning to glow like Pyx does when she's pissed off. We've all seen you do magic but it's radiating off you right now. Maybe it's the wand," Harry said.

"It was my father's," he said, pulling the stick from his pocket.

"You might need to get a new one. Magic can't be done without a proper chosen wand."

"Yeah, remember how bad I was until I got my own wand. Charlie's didn't work well for me," Ron said.

"How do you plan on getting Neville to Ollivanders? There's still a couple more days of term left. Where will this duel be? When? How will Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore react when they find out?" Hermione said.

"I suspect we'll be angry."

They turned to see their Head of House standing there with Snape. The Potions Master glared at them.

"I knew you had to be lacking brain cells, Longbottom, to challenge Mr. Malfoy."

Snape headed off to the common room while they shifted under the glare of McGonagall. Neville was still worked up so he glared right back. The Transfiguration professor had never seen this kind of passion from the boy before except for Herbology.

"Mr. Longbottom, follow me. The rest of you, I suggest you head to the library. You all still have exams to study for."

In other words, search for spells that Neville could use in the duel. McGonagall didn't know why he had challenged Draco but she could help him prepare. She escorted him to Dumbledore and had the student explain himself.

"The duel will be held here in a week's time. I would suggest at noon. No doubt but either Mr. Malfoy or Professor Snape has already notified his parents. I will notify your grandmother if you wish."

"No, sir. I'd prefer to do it. Who will oversee the duel?"

"It will have to be someone partial with no ties to you or Mr. Malfoy. I will find someone, Mr. Longbottom. Do you still have exams to sit?"

"Only Herbology, sir, and that's tomorrow afternoon," Neville answered.

"Good. I know of a person who would be thrilled to help. I'll have him here by dinner tomorrow to help train you."

"Professor, Harry mentioned getting my own wand. He believes my father's wand is holding my magic back."

"It can be true for some. I know that Ms. Malfoy-Black's wand was her mother's. If your grandmother approves, I'll have your tutor take you to Ollivanders after dinner."

Neville thanked the headmaster and left. McGonagall looked at Dumbledore and asked who this tutor was. His eyes sparkled and he began to write a note without answering her.

The phoenix appeared as he sat at the kitchen table. He had been drinking firewhiskey since that afternoon. The bird held out the letter, which he eventually took. He scanned the contents and jumped up from the table.

"Moony, pack your bags. The Marauders are going back to Hogwarts," Sirius yelled.


	12. The Duel

**Note: I do not own 'Harry Potter' but do own my own characters...if anything doesn't seem to jive with the books, it's not meant to...Hope you enjoy it...**

* * *

The next week went by slow for some while it seemed to fly by for others. Pyx still fought against the Imperius but Lucius recast it on a daily basis. He was busy training Draco to use some advanced Dark spells for the duel.

Neville practiced with Sirius, Remus, and his friends. His grandmother had been angry when he told her but eventually backed off. He had gone to Ollivanders and found his wand (11 ½ inches, ebony with unicorn hair as it core). Even after hours of practicing, Neville would still be at it. He hadn't had much sleep but he was determined to beat Draco. Even after Hermione left the library, he was there looking up obscure spells. They could use anything but Unforgivables so he needed something great and something that Draco wouldn't be prepared for.

Harry, using Ron and Hermione as a distraction, spiked Neville's pumpkin juice with a sleeping draught so he would be well rested for the duel. Most of their friends had stayed to watch the duel and then would head home for the holidays. The only person Neville wanted there was Pyx.

The day of the duel had arrived and everyone was nervous, even Draco although he didn't look it. He knew he could best Neville but his father was going to be there and he didn't want to do anything to dishonor the family.

"So we're going to hurt your boyfriend," Draco said to Pyx.

"Draco, your cousin will be coming with us except no one will know who she is. Pyx, your name is Katherine. Your fiancé will be there, whom you will meet. You will not acknowledge any of your former friends. If they talk to you, make some comment worthy of a Slytherin," Lucius ordered.

"Yes."

"Good," he said, transfiguring her hair, eyes, and clothes into something else.

Pyx now had auburn hair and bright blue eyes. She had a freckle under her left eye and dimples when she smiled. Her robes were now a pale silver and clearly screamed pureblood.

The four of them left the Manor and apparated to Hogsmeade. They caught one of the carriages that were waiting there for the spectators. Dumbledore was waiting for them at the school.

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy. Perfect timing. The duel will start in 15 minutes. I am aware that you know the rules but they will be gone over before the duel commences. You and your family may head into the Great Hall."

Dumbledore looked at the girl that was holding onto Draco's arm. She was quiet and sullen but something in her reminded him of Pyx.

"Would Mr. Neville Longbottom and Mr. Draco Malfoy please come here," the man, called in to supervise the duel, said.

The two boys stood and glared at each other as they approached the dueling stage.

"To assure my neutrality, have we ever met before, Mr. Longbottom?"

"No."

"Mr. Malfoy?"

"No."

"Good. I am here to supervise the duel and to make sure it's fair. The rules are that only Unforgivables cannot be used, otherwise it's up to you. It will go until Madam Pomfrey determines that your wounds are severe or until one of you forfeits."

"Malfoys never forfeit."

"Then prepare to bleed," Neville spat at him.

"If any of the spells go wayward, I will be ready to dissipate them. Any questions?"

Neither had any so they took their spots and walked the 10 paces. They turned and had their wands at the ready. The judge looked at the boys and then at Dumbledore, who nodded.

"On the count of three. One…two…three!"

"_Incarcerous!_" Draco called.

"_Protego! Incendio!_"

Draco blocked the fire spell and shot it back. It caught Neville's robes but without missing a beat, he shrugged them off and flung them at the floor. Neville spouted off a spell that he had found in a book. Those who knew it gasped since the choking spell was borderline on being Dark. He held it for a second before letting up and casting another spell. Draco blocked it and sent a cutting curse he had overheard Snape telling his father.

"_Sectumsempra!_"

Neville ducked and the spell hit the wall behind him. Pyx watched as the guy she liked was just missed by a nasty spell. She was fighting the Imperius curse and had even managed to move a foot when the duel began.

"_Defodio!_"

Draco erected a shield to protect himself from the gouging spell. He tried disarming his opponent but that too was blocked. Neville moved closer. There was another semi Dark spell he wanted to try but he needed to be closer. Until he was in range, he blocked spells and cast some minor jinxes.

"_Convello_!" he cried, pointing his wand at Draco.

Since the Great Hall was quiet, everyone heard several of Draco's ribs snap. He bit his tongue and wrapped his arm around his waist. It hurt like hell but he was not going to lose to the Gryffindor. Neville backed off for a second with his wand out. He could easily taken the boy down but he wanted him in pain.

"Where is she, Malfoy? You tell me and I'll bow out. I just want her back."

Draco's silvery eyes stared up at Neville. He pulled himself to his full height, disregarding the pain in his ribs. He smirked then glanced over at where his family sat.

"You think a Longbottom could beat a Malfoy? True, you are using darker spells than I expected but no teacher is better than the one who taught me," Draco replied, as he brought up his wand to chest level.

"_Avis!__ Sectumsempra!_"

Pyx knew what Draco was doing. She had been forced to sit in on several of his lessons. By distracting a wizard or witch, they never saw the second spell coming straight at them. She fought as the birds flocked out of Draco's wand. She pushed past the Imperius as he started to mutter the second incantation. Pyx made it up in front of Neville as the light left the wand. No one stopped her because everyone's focus was on the two boys. She took the spell in the back and instantly felt deep cuts.

"Nev…"she said, as she crumpled to the stage.

She didn't look anything like Pyx but Neville knew her voice anywhere. He fell to his knees and grabbed her. The instant his fingers touched the robes she was wearing, they both were whisked away, even through the wards surrounding Hogwarts.

The entire hall was up in arms. Everyone wanted to know where Neville was and why would a girl that the Malfoys brought had jumped up in front of him. It was Hermione who spoke the obvious.

"Who do we know who would keep Neville from getting hurt, if she had been here?"

"Pyx."

"Exactly. They wanted her here to see him get hurt."

None of the Malfoys could leave but if they didn't leave soon, there wouldn't be a Pyx left to marry off. Draco knew he put a lot of magic into the spell so he believed her to be near death. He hoped help would get there soon. Lucius and Narcissa read each other's expressions and he approached Snape. Since no one was looking, Narcissa vanished the blood where Pyx had fallen so they couldn't determine it was hers.

"Severus, I need you to contact Healer Gloughnot at St. Mungo's. Tell him to go to the cabin. He will know what it regards."

Snape now knew that Lucius had Pyx and Neville but had no clue where this cabin was. He nodded and left the Great Hall. He sent the quickest school owl and got back just as Sirius was being held back by Harry and Remus.

"What did you do to her? If that was her, she could be dead already. Don't you care about your own niece?" he yelled.

"That filthy blood traitor who has been missing? I have no idea why Katherine did what she did. We were asked by her family to escort her here to introduce her to her fiancé."

"So her family finally settled on a family? Who has the honors?" Snape asked, playing along.

"I do," a voice said.

The entire group turned to see who spoke. The Gryffindors were surprised and some mouths fell open. Standing next to one of Draco's friends was a very handsome man with short spiky dark brown hair, deep rich brown eyes, and the cutest dimple on his left cheek. His robes were meticulous and very expensive.

"Mrs. Malfoy, how are you this day? I do hope wherever that boy went with my fiancé, he'll seek medical help. I hadn't even had the pleasure to meet her before she's taken. Professor Snape, I hope the students are keeping you on your toes. Any in particular that are a handful?" the man asked with a slight smirk.

"As long as Longbottom doesn't try to brew a potion for your fiancé, she will be fine, Mr. Parkinson."

"Parkinson? As in Pansy Parkinson?" Ron stuttered.

"Pansy is my sister. She would have loved to have been here, Draco, but she is fighting off a nasty cold that isn't responding to any potions or healing spells. It was a pleasure catching up but I should help to find my fiancé."

The group of Gryffindors stared after him as he left. True he had ignored them to most extent but he seemed pleasant and happy, a far contrast to what Slytherins were normally like. Harry thought it might be a ploy of some kind. He was more worried about the girl who he knew deep down was Pyx.

* * *

**Note2: _Convello _means to shatter.**_  
_


	13. The Cabin

**Note: I do not own 'Harry Potter' but do own my own characters...if anything doesn't seem to jive with the books, it's not meant to...Hope you enjoy it...**

Neville felt the pull of the portkey and waited until he reappeared before letting go. While he landed in such a heap, the girl landed worse and she cried out. He didn't care where he was as long as he had her. He knew that this was Pyx and he wasn't about to let her go.

"Pyx?"

After a few minutes, she answered, "Help me, Nev. So cold."

Neville still had his wand and they had been taught simple healing spells but she needed something stronger. The transfigurations shimmered so he ended the spell and his girlfriend laid before him. He pulled her into his lap and held her tight.

"Help. Someone help me," he yelled.

_Pop!_ A house elf appeared before them. Its gray skin and pointed ears flattened against its head. The rag around the body was all dirty and torn.

"Please help her. She'll die."

The house elf looked down at the girl and saw all the blood.

"Master warned Aggie that boy be hurt, not girl."

"Help her, damn it. Your master will not like it if she dies. Neither will I," he threatened.

"Aggie, warm some water and bring towels to the guest room."

Neville looked up to see an old man with graying hair standing there in healer's robes. He levitated Neville's wand to him and put it in his pocket. He conjured up a stretcher and pointed at it. Neville laid her in it as the healer poured a potion down Pyx's throat.

"Will you be coming, Mr. Longbottom?" he asked, as he started towards the guest room.

Neville followed, not wanting Pyx to be alone. He watched as the healer cleaned the wounds, stopped the bleeding with a spell, and applied dittany. Healer Gloughnot turned her over and slipped another pain potion past her lips as well as a blood replenishing potion. He moved to the side and Neville sat on the bed beside her. He held her hand, praying that she would wake up soon. Hours later, she still hadn't woken up and no one else had showed up at the cabin. The healer checked her out and said that she'd wake when her body was finished recuperating. When he turned to leave, Neville nicked his wand from Healer Gloughnot's pocket without him noticing.

"If you require anything else, please call for the house elf. I will be back in the morning to check on her."

Neville and Pyx were alone. He didn't care as long as she was going to be alright. He was exhausted but he couldn't leave her alone and unprotected. His eyes were drooping and didn't notice Pyx finally opening hers.

"Nev, are you OK? You weren't hurt, were you?"

His head whipped up and his eyes were wide open. She smiled at him and held out his arms to him. Neville pulled her into his arms and held her tight.

"Why did you do that? How do you feel? I can't stand seeing you in pain."

"Good because I'm not in any. Is there anyone else here?"

"No."

"Perfect. Help me up. We're getting out of here."

"How? No, wait. You can't leave. You nearly bled to death. The wounds haven't even closed fully yet."

"Would you like to stick around and meet Lucius? I'd rather not. I hope the password to the Floo is the same."

Pyx heaved herself out of the bed and nearly got up when she noticed the sheet was the only thing covering her up.

"Nev, where did my clothes go?"

"The healer had to take them off to get at the wounds. Here, let me find you something."

"Nev, just turn around."

He did and she wound the large sheet around her body and secured it around her neck, like a toga. She swayed and he was there in an instant. Pyx told him the way to the library where the fireplace was. She was lucky she had been brought here for a day while captive. This was where the so called wedding was going to be held. Since she had been taken by side along apparition, she didn't know the Floo password. She prayed it was the same as the password for Malfoy Manor.

Pyx grabbed a handful of Floo powder and threw it into the fireplace. The flames went black.

"Mudblood."

The flames turned green and she motioned for Neville to go. As they made their way into the fireplace, they heard noise coming from outside the library. Pyx saw Lucius in the doorway to the library before they could call out a destination. She grabbed Neville's wand and sent the Cruciatus curse at her uncle. Neville called out the Leaky Cauldron and they disappeared as the curse hit the blond. They landed in the pub and quickly grabbed more Floo powder. Pyx called out the address and password for their next stop. She fell as she stumbled out of the fireplace. Her back hit the table and she cried out. Neville rushed to her as the painting started to scream. He jumped at the voice but soon forgot about it when Pyx fell.

_Thanatos, come to Grimmauld Place_, she thought.

_Where have you been?_

_Just come. I need you to take a letter to Uncle Sirius._

Pyx still had Neville's wand and headed out to her grandmother's portrait.

"Shut up, you old bat," she growled before casting a silencing spell.

Pyx made it back to the kitchen before she collapsed. Even through the layers of sheet, Neville could see the blood. The cuts must have reopened or the healer did something to them.

"Pyx, stay awake. I don't know where we are."

"Thanatos coming…send letter to Uncle Sirius…" she said before blacking out.

Neville didn't have to wait long for the falcon to arrive. He found parchment and scribbled a quick note: _'We're in a dark house with a screaming portrait. Pyx is still hurt. Please find us. We Floo'd here and all I heard was the password: family.'_

Thanatos ripped the letter out of Neville's hands and hurried off. The boy took back his wand and levitated Pyx out of the kitchen. He found a couch in a front room and laid her face down on it. He tore the back of the sheet until her bum and saw that the cuts were bleeding again.

"Bloody hell. We haven't learned healing spells yet. Um…_Accio dittany!_" he called, flicking his wand.

He wasn't sure if the house had any but he hoped. Far away, he heard a crash and half a minute later, a bottle flew into the room. Neville lightly applied the dittany causing Pyx to hiss in pain.

"I'm sorry. I missed you so much when you went missing. I couldn't think about anything other than what they could be doing to you. Why did you jump in the way, Pyx? Why?" he sobbed.

The dittany helped and the bleeding stopped. Neville sat beside her holding her hand waiting for her to wake or for the help to arrive.

It wasn't until a bit later that he heard the Floo. Neville didn't want to leave her side but whoever was there didn't know where they were. He got up and peaked his head out of the door. The sight shocked him.

* * *


	14. Crucio

**Note: I do not own 'Harry Potter' but do own my own characters...if anything doesn't seem to jive with the books, it's not meant to...Hope you enjoy it...**

**Note2: I wanted to finish posting before the Thanksgiving weekend (at least up here in Canada) and I won't have access to the computer tomorrow night so here's the last 2 chapters...**

* * *

He was staring down the top of Lucius Malfoy's wand He was staring down the top of Lucius Malfoy's wand. He was pushed back into the sitting room and fell onto the couch.

"Stupid girl thinking you could get away," he growled. "The Crucio was impressive though."

Neville's wand was lying next to Pyx's body and if he could get to it, he could try to protect her. Lucius was more focused on her anyways so he inched his hand over. He made it look as if he was going to cover her up and grabbed his wand.

"_Expelliarmus!_" he said but the Death Eater blocked it.

"Foolish boy. _Crucio!_"

Neville got up a shield but it didn't hold. He fell to the floor and twitched while screaming. The screams woke Pyx up and she held the sheet close to her body as she reached down for the dropped wand.

"_Crucio!_ You son of a bitch," she yelled.

She pushed all the hatred she had into the curse; the hatred for Lucius, the hatred for the death of her parents, the hatred for Voldemort and the hatred that Neville was under the same curse that his parents went insane from. Since her uncle couldn't hold the spell, Neville stopped twitching and watched as the blond aristocrat tried to keep from screaming. He could almost see the hatred that Pyx was pushing into the curse.

"Pyx, stop."

She didn't listen but stepped closer. She felt a hand on her arm but she still didn't stop. Only when his lips crashed down onto hers, did she lose focus.

"Nev, are you alright?"

"Give me my wand," he ordered with a forceful tone.

Pyx handed the wand back and he tied up and stunned Lucius. Neville pocketed the other wand before turning back to his girlfriend.

"You shouldn't be up. The cuts might reopen."

"It's only a bit of blood, Nev. I couldn't let him continue to hurt you. It's bad enough what my twisted cousin did to your parents. Has Thanatos come yet?"

"Yes. Help should be here soon. Lie down."

"Where's Kreacher?" she asked.

The sound of the Floo and the sound of a house elf appearing made both of them jump. Neville pointed his wand at the doorway trying to keep Pyx back. She was trying to talk to Kreacher but her boyfriend shushed her.

"Neville?"

"In here. Be aware of the body on the floor."

Sirius ran through the door, jumping over Lucius. Pyx darted around Neville and into her uncle's arms. Pain flooded her body but she couldn't care less. The others (Dumbledore, Remus, and Kingsley) were looking down on the Death Eater.

"Care to explain what happened and why Mr. Malfoy is bound?"

"He was cursing Nev so I…" Pyx started.

"Don't say a word, Pyx," Neville warned.

"No. They can't do anything. It was purely justified. Self defense, Nev. They can't hold me," she replied, breaking away from Sirius.

"That may be true in the Muggle world but until you can speak to an attorney, shut it."

"I may love you and have nearly died protecting you, but you can't tell me what to do," she fumed.

Sirius pulled her away to a corner and had Pyx tell him what she did. The only reaction he did was to nod and led her back to the others.

"My niece will make a formal statement when her attorney is with her but for now, she is in need of a medi-witch. We will be at St. Mungo's."

Sirius, Pyx, and Neville Floo'd to St. Mungo's where they were looked after. The healer was worried about the cuts reopening again so Pyx mentioned stitches.

"It's what we do in the Muggle world. It keeps the wound closed until the skin can heal. It shouldn't scar too badly."

A healer knowledgeable in Muggle medicine came and stitched up her back. Elastic bandages were wrapped around her torso to keep the protective bandages in place. Once she was done, Pyx ordered the healer to check out Neville, while she pulled on a dress that Sirius transfigured from the tattered sheet.

"Drink this up. The potion will help to counter any lingering effects of the Cruciatus curse. Once that is done, you two are free to go."

Neville drank the vile tasting potion and grabbed Pyx's hand. Sirius led them to the Floo and they headed to the Ministry. Waiting for them were Remus, Dumbledore, Danny, and her friends. She hugged them all and turned to Danny.

"My side or his?"

"Yours, of course. Now tell me what you did."

"I cast Crucio on the motherfucker," she bluntly said.

"That I can work with," he said as the others' mouths gaped.

"The problem is the length she held it for."

"He deserved it. The Ministry is in his pocket, he kidnapped me, and nearly forced me to marry someone. He killed my mother and grandmother. He was hurting you. I'd do it again in a heartbeat, if not use one of those Dark Arts spells he was teaching to Malfoy Jr.," she reiterated before anyone could speak.

"Do not tell anyone else that. If Lucius Malfoy knows what's best for him, he'll keep that to himself so the court will not hear that fact. How were they going to force you to marry? No one can be under the Imperius when the binding is done," Danny said.

"They were going to hold Neville ransom and…" she trailed off, looking away from everyone.

Danny took Pyx away from the group and she told him. He acted much like Sirius and nodded. He was angry but kept the emotion inside for the sake of the others.

"You all may wait out here while Sirius, Pyx, and I are in there. I don't think this will go to trial."

"Finally Malfoy's put in Azkaban," Ron said. "His son should join him for hurting Pyx in the duel."

"The duel! I'm sorry. I interfered so the duel is forfeit," she said, looking at Neville.

"Actually Mr. Longbottom will have to duel Mr. Malfoy again until it is settled. Some pureblood duels have gone on for days," Dumbledore said.

"You're not dueling him again. I was there when they taught him some of those spells. I fought through a daily cast Imperius curse to save you."

"There's nothing that can be done, Pyx. I know what I was doing when I challenged him. I have to go through this even though you're back."

Pyx didn't like to hear that. She left her friends and gave her statement to the Auror in charge of the case. She explained how they used another woman to act as Narcissa when she was kidnapped, the Imperius curse, and hearing and seeing things inside Malfoy Manor. When it came to the forced marriage, she nearly broke down.

"Ms. Malfoy-Black, I need to know what happened to include in my report."

"Fine. After the duel, after they used me to take Nev, I was to choose between him dying or marrying. I'd rather be in a forced marriage than be the reason he was dead. Once the wedding was over, I was to be locked away with my husband for as long as it took to get me pregnant. I haven't even met the guy and I was to fuck him or kill the one man I love," she seethed.

Sirius and Danny looked at each other. They could tell she was letting her anger control her since she started to faintly glow.

"No one tells me what I can and can't do. If it hadn't been for the Crucio and Imperio sessions, I would have killed that bastard even for mentioning Nev's name. Even after the proof I gave you, you couldn't lock him up. You had to wait for me, a little girl who hasn't known about magic for 6 months, to bring him down. You are all pathetic. No one man should be above the law and yet all he has to do is flash a wad of money and you'd sell your soul to the devil if he asked."

She knew she was going too far but couldn't stop. Pyx didn't care, she needed to vent and the man wanted to know. She was still ranting but had gotten up to pace. Sirius tried to get her calmed down but just even at the sight of him, it started her on another rampage.

"This fucked up Ministry locked this man up for nothing. You didn't even bother to listen to him or check his wand. If you had known him, you'd have known that Sirius Black is devoted to his family and friends and would have died rather than be a traitor. For 12 years, you had him locked up, tormented by the Dementors, and no one had a brain to think 'Gee, are we definitely sure that he committed the crime?' No. You all didn't care."

"Ms. Malfoy-Black, please calm down. This isn't needed for the statement."

"Shut up. After what happened at the Triwizard Tournament, you still didn't care. You all believe that Harry and Dumbledore were lying. Two great wizards and no one believes them. Do you really think Harry would have made that up? He doesn't want the attention. He's only 15, for Christ's sake. No one should have what he's been through resting on their shoulders. He should have the opportunity to be just Harry but he gets sucked back in. It's either Voldemort or the Ministry. Maybe the whole fucking Ministry is corrupt and needs to be replaced. Maybe then it'll have a heart and start giving a damn about its people."

A wave of magic burst out of Pyx. It was weak but still threw everyone off the chairs. She crumpled to the floor, unconscious. Sirius and Danny rushed to her as the Auror called for a medi-witch. The others rushed in, having felt the burst in the waiting room. Neville pushed his way through and grabbed onto Pyx.

"Wake up. You can't leave me. Everyone leaves me. First my parents are left insane and then you're gone. I just got you back and you're leaving me again. I love you, Pyxis."

Everyone was shocked at the revelation. The medi-witch arrived and checked Pyx out. Neville held her hand, rubbing the back of it with his fingers.

"She's just exhausted. A couple of days rest and she should be good as new. Why don't you take her home, Mr. Black?"

Neville picked her up first, holding her body close to his. Sirius led the way to the Floo and sent them through to Grimmauld Place. Most followed after. Neville had taken her upstairs, to one of the rooms. Sirius showed him the way to her room and made sure to bring in Regulus' portrait to watch over his daughter.


	15. As I Do You

**Note: I do not own 'Harry Potter' but do own my own characters...if anything doesn't seem to jive with the books, it's not meant to...Hope you enjoy it...**

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Pyx was out of it for 2 days. The others tried to get Neville to rest, eat, or get cleaned up but he wanted to be the first person she sees when she wakes. And he was. It was nearing 3pm when her eyes fluttered open. She saw him staring at her and she smiled.

"Hey, Nev," she squeaked.

He jumped from the chair and sat beside her on the bed. He took her hands in his and squeezed. His green eyes did a quick scan of her body and when he saw that she was still there, he smiled back.

"You had us all in a scare. Since your little rant at the Ministry, you've been unconscious."

"And he wouldn't leave your bedside," Hermione said from the doorway.

"I just wanted to make sure you were OK."

"Now that you know, rest. I'll be here when you get back."

Neville bent down and kissed her forehead. He looked at Hermione and she nodded. He left the room and the girl took up his seat in the chair.

"How have things been? How long was I out for?"

"A couple of days. Malfoy has been sent to Azkaban and Fudge has stepped down as Minister. Until a vote can be held, the entire Wizengamot is acting as Minister."

"That's good to hear, Hermione. I need you to find me a book on the laws surrounding pureblood duels. I need to find a way to keep Neville from getting back up there with Malfoy Jr."

"I'll get Sirius to sit with you. Neville will be mad if you're left alone. I'll start my research in the Black library."

Hermione called for Sirius, who rushed up the stairs. He was ecstatic to see Pyx awake. The Gryffindor left the uncle and niece alone to search for the book. After searching for half an hour, she turned to magic for help.

"_Accio book on pureblood duels!_" she called.

A medium size book flew out of somewhere and straight into her arms. The title '**How to Be a Proper Pureblood**' was done in melted gold lettering on the black cover. She sat in a chair and opened the book. All the pages were blank.

"_Specialis Revelio!_"

Words appeared on the page.

_Topic?_

"Duels," she answered, tapping the book with her wand.

The pages filled with every rule, regulation, decree, or stipulation on pureblood duels. Some dated back to the time of Merlin himself.

"Current rules, please."

Now rather than 50 pages of writing, there were only 5. Hermione skimmed through the pages and found one stipulation that may work. She tapped the entry and asked for the full entry since it looked to be in summation.

It was exactly what Hermione thought it was. She closed the book and carried it down to Pyx's room. Sirius had been replaced by Harry, Ron, Ginny, and the twins. They had Pyx tearing up from laughter.

"I found it."

Pyx stopped laughing, wiped her eyes, and motioned for Hermione to come closer. She handed the book over and tapped the book.

"Pureblood duels, stipulation 103 in full text," she ordered.

Half a page filled with the stipulation and Pyx gave it a once over. She was smirking when she looked up. She closed the book and sat straighter in her seat.

"Who would like to see Nev win the duel?" she asked.

"How? Malfoy's using Dark spells," George said.

"Just hear me out before you interrupt. I, Pyxis Malfoy-Black, have the right to replace my cousin, Draco Malfoy, in the pureblood duel against Neville Longbottom."

The others felt the magic in the air shift. Pyx knew what was coming next. The door crashed open and in stormed both Neville and Sirius.

"How dare you put yourself into a pureblood duel?" Sirius yelled.

"You haven't even been awake for 5 hours and already getting into trouble. I can't fight you. I can't even look at you right now," Neville said before storming out.

"And with that, he won the duel. I was going to forfeit but instead he broke my heart. That's the most severe wound possible other than death," she said, before turning away from her friends.

She didn't move, speak, or eat for days. All she wanted was Neville and the boy wouldn't see her. While the duel wasn't hanging over their heads anymore, he was still angry that she put herself into that position. Even Regulus tried to talk some sense into Neville.

"My daughter did what she needed to do to keep the man she loves safe. All she did was mutter a few words, not jumping in front of another cutting curse. Wouldn't you do the same if it were reversed? But instead of protecting her, you've hurt her. Today's Christmas so give her the one gift she truly wants that no one else can give her."

Everyone was sitting around the enlarged table for the fabulous meal that Mrs. Weasley cooked. Neville and Pyx sat at opposite ends of the table, not eating. Harry tried to get Pyx to smile while Ginny worked on Neville. After nearly 10 minutes, Pyx had enough.

"If the prat doesn't want to talk, then don't keep badgering him."

"I don't need you to defend me."

"Clearly you do. Sometimes even from yourself. Challenging Malfoy to a duel, nearly getting yourself killed. I know you're a bloody Gryffindor but it was a stupid move," she screamed.

"I could have handled it if you hadn't gotten in the way," he retaliated.

"I wasn't going to sit idly by as you fought. I wasn't going to let my uncle use you and then kill you so I could be married off. He's already killed too many. I would do anything for you, Neville Longbottom, because I love you."

"As I do you," he yelled.

"Well, now that's all out in the open, snog so we can get back to the food," Ron said.

"Ronald!" Hermione gasped, hitting him upside the head.

Both Pyx and Neville stood up and walked towards each other. He pulled her in and kissed her. It was her who turned the kiss into something more. Sirius coughed to tell them to break it up. One side of the table shifted down so they could sit across from each other.

"Harry, I was going to wait until we were doing gifts to give this to you but it seems befitting with the adults here," Pyx said, passing a little wrapped box to Fred to pass down. "Happy Christmas."

The Boy Who Lived opened the box and pulled out a vial full of silvery liquid.

"It's my memories of when I was with Malfoy. Not all of them but anything concerning Voldemort. Oh, Nev, it's just a name. You dueled Draco Malfoy and won. Anyways, there's one in particular that you should see. Now who'd like to explain to Harry about this prophecy that has Voldemort so freaked out."

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**Note2: So that's the end...I hadn't thought of doing a sequel but if I get enough responses, I'll start one up...thanks for reading...**


	16. Author's Note

If I get two more reviews, I will write a sequel…if you wish to include some ideas, I will think about putting them in…Thanks…

If I get two more reviews, I will write a sequel…if you wish to include some ideas, I will think about putting them in…Thanks…


	17. Author's Note 2

Thanks again for reading _Her Uncle is_…The sequel is done and the first chapter is posted…


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